The number of people held in immigration detention centers in the U.S. has exploded in recent years, reaching record highs under multiple administrations. And thanks to the Republican-led budget bill that became law in July, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has seen a major influx of federal funding, further fueling the expansion of detentions. Professor Nancy Hiemstra explains how detention became a multi-billion-dollar industry, breaking down who profits, who pays, and how communities across the country, not just along the border, have become tied to detention economies. 

For more on this topic:

• Check out Hiemstra's book with co-author Deirdre Conlon, Immigration Detention Inc.: The Big Business of Locking up Migrants

• Read the op-ed they co-authored in Newsweek: People Will Die at Alligator Alcatraz

• Read their SSN brief: How Expanded Migrant Detention Drives Profiteering and Leads to Tougher Immigration Policies