Firm sues California over ban on private prisons

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

today

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A private prison firm that just won multibillion-dollar contracts to run federal immigration detention centers in California sued the state on Monday, claiming that a new ban on for-profit lockups in California is unconstitutional.

The GEO Group, Inc., argued in the federal suit that Assembly Bill 32, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October, would unlawfully undermine enforcement criminal and immigration law. It asks a federal court to permanently bar the law from taking effect.

“There is a longstanding and clear-cut constitutional principle that individual states cannot regulate the actions and activities of the federal government,” the Boca Raton, Florida company said in a statement.

AB 32 bars renewal of contracts with operators of private prisons. It also bars the use of private immigration detention facilities in the state.

-snip-


Read more: https://apnews.com/2b1a7db0b536d401271da9f20182149a

[cstanleytech]

1. How odd, I don't recall the Constitution having a clause that would force the government to allow

for profit prisons.

[NYC Liberal]

2. Their argument is that a state can't ban the federal government from doing something.

Right back to McCulloch v. Maryland, when Maryland tried to tax the federal bank.

But...this law is aimed at private companies, not a government department. The feds are just paying them. So I don’t think that argument would hold water.

[cstanleytech]

3. Thus my whole for profit post of not recalling the Constitution having the ability

to force the hand of the State government to allow a for profit prison to be built and or operated within the state if the state does not wish it to.

[azureblue]

4. but it's not the fed

that is housing the prisoners. It's a private company. So their argument is based on a falsehood. The government can authorize private companies to run and own prisons, but in the end, the prison company is still a private company, not a federal entity / agency. Think of it - if their argument is true then they would be part of the federal government. The private company wants to claim federal privilege.

[groundloop]

5. The idea of 'for profit' incarceration is sickening

Maybe California can bring this into the open while fighting this lawsuit. There have been numerous instances exposed where operators of for-profit prisons have paid off officials to send more people to prison, including one case where juveniles were involved.

Furthermore, as always, a private contractor pays low wages with little or no benefits so instead of employees being paid a decent wage with decent benefits a select few corporation owners are getting richer. THIS IS WRONG.

[OldBaldy1701E]

13. The idea of 'for profit' anything is sickening once the goal becomes obscene wealth,

and since our country is all about the 'Benjamin's...

[byronius]

6. Looking forward to the death of this industry forever.

[not fooled]

7. When red don "won" the election

the stocks of these vultures rose significantly. They knew what was coming.

[iscooterliberally]

8. Greedy bastards.

The privatized prison industry should be abolished at every level.

[backtoblue]

9. +1

[marble falls]

10. Lets get the privateers out of all prisons and all military and all social ...

service functions!

[pandr32]

11. Agreed

[bucolic_frolic]

12. longstanding and clear-cut?

I think that floated idea is full of holes. Individual states have been granted exceptions to ACA and Medicaid rules.

Roth IRA's are not taxable, ever, but are taxed for estate tax purposes in Pennsylvania.

These may not be iron-clad, but surely there are other instances.