人兽性交 Statement on Court鈥檚 Denial of Class Certification in Lawsuit Challenging Forced Labor in Immigrant Detention Center
础罢尝础狈罢础听鈥 This week, a聽federal judge in Georgia denied a request by individuals previously held at the Stewart Detention Center,聽a privately operated immigrant detention center in Stewart County, Georgia,聽to proceed as a class in their lawsuit against private prison company, CoreCivic, Inc.
The plaintiffs in the case 鈥撀Wilhen Hill Barrientos, et al. v. CoreCivic, Inc.聽鈥 sought class certification on behalf of approximately 32,000 detained immigrants who were forced to work for as little as $1 a day cleaning, cooking and performing maintenance duties聽under threat of punishment, including solitary confinement and loss of basic necessities. These actions were part of a scheme to maximize CoreCivic鈥檚 profits, according to the lawsuit filed in 2018. The plaintiffs are represented by lawyers for the聽Southern Poverty Law Center听(厂笔尝颁),听听补苍诲听.听
In the ruling, the judge did not decide on the merits of the claims, noting that the plaintiffs and other individuals detained at the Stewart Detention Center may have individual forced labor and unjust enrichment claims.
鈥We are disappointed in this decision and extremely proud of the plaintiffs in this case who bravely came forward to expose the atrocious conditions in Stewart Detention Center鈥檚 work program,鈥 said聽Meredith Stewart, attorney for the 人兽性交鈥檚聽Immigrant Justice Project. 鈥Our fight to end CoreCivic鈥檚 coercive practices will continue, as we explore all available options to seek justice for the harms our clients suffered. And we call on the Biden administration to enforce anti-trafficking laws against federal contractors operating ICE detention centers, where, as is the case here, the weight of the evidence raises serious questions about CoreCivic鈥檚 compliance.鈥
Read more about the case and view other filings聽here.听
# # #