DOJ: Immigration facility shouldn't have to pay minimum wage

[backtoblue]

Last edited Sat Aug 24, 2019, 05:47 PM - Edit history (1)

SEATTLE — The Trump administration is opposing Washington state’s effort to make a privately run, for-profit immigration detention center pay detainees minimum wage for the work they do.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued The GEO Group in 2017, saying its Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma must pay the state minimum wage to detainees who perform kitchen, laundry, janitorial, maintenance and barbershop tasks. The lawsuit seeks to force GEO to turn over profits it gained by underpaying them — an amount that could reach into the millions.
U.S. District Judge Robert Bryan has already issued some key rulings in the state’s favor. But in a “statement of interest” filed this week, the Justice Department called the lawsuit “an aggressive and legally unjustified effort by the State of Washington to interfere with federal immigration enforcement,” and it urged Bryan to reject it.

Snip......

https://beta.washingtonpost.com/national/doj-immigration-jail-shouldnt-have-to-pay-minimum-wage/2019/08/23/42bed436-c5c5-11e9-8bf7-cde2d9e09055_story.html?outputType=amp


Updating to add a Wikipedia link on prison labor.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_labor_in_the_United_States

[Frustratedlady]

1. MUST pay minimum wage? They should pay a lot more than that.

Isn't this the group that is charging $755/day/immigrant? The immigrants should have maid service at that rate.

Trump HAS to be getting a kickback in some way from these obscene charges.

[backtoblue]

2. I think so

Here's a link to a few more corporations making money from this crisis

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/06/28/companies-profiting-immigration-enforcement-private-sector-prison-tech.html

[Claritie Pixie]

3. So basically, they're slaves and the DOJ is fine with that.

Held against their will, forced to work for what? Ok so the work program is "voluntary" and they're paid one dollar a day. This is horrid.

[backtoblue]

11. Also, cheap prison labor was originally a way to "give back"

They're work and products were meant to be a sort of payback to their community as a whole.

Big corporate profit off slave labor is not only unethical in our modern times -

Also, profiting off of people who have been kidnapped and denied basic human rights is just EVIL.

I added a link to the OP that gives more info on prison labor.

[stopdiggin]

4. question -- are inmates at any facility paid minimum?

public, private, state, federal? Is there a body of law relevant here?

[Hekate]

5. These prisoners are being held without proceedings, trial, or bail. They are essentially kidnapped.

Now they should be slaves as well?

[stopdiggin]

6. 'course not

thought my post made clear I was soliciting information. the fact that these "inmates" are in a legal gray area might be part of the problem? or perhaps makes no difference at all? I simply don't know.

[backtoblue]

7. I don't believe so

From what I've seen inmates make zero (in some states) up to 3-4 dollars per hour.

Taking into consideration that for profit prisons are growing and making alot of money, it's good for the public to know these conditions.

'll try to find some reliable wage stats.

Bottom line is that prison profits are unethical and even more so when they rake in the cash off of inhumane circumstances.

[stopdiggin]

8. couldn't agree more

and privatization of our penal system is another one of those REALLY shitty ideas .. brought to you by the GOP, and their libertarian playmates.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. Down here in Ala you can hire inmates

Holman prison, home of the state's electric chair, will allow some inmates to do labor for people.
a lot of hurricane clean up is done by inmates. Had a friend who lived in Atmore, not far from the prison, she had inmate help, after a hurricane. . She said it was less than minimum wage, but the $ was supposed to go into the inmate's account.

I don't think they do it anymore, but as recently as 1990's, when you drove past the prison, you could see a scene right out of Cool Hand Luke, rows of prisoners working in the fields under the eyes of guards on horses.
The story is that the prison used to be pretty self sustaining, with cattle, which are still there, gardens, etc.

[uponit7771]

9. Now the immigrants are slave labor ?!?! How isn't this some Nazis shit?

[backtoblue]

10. A 13th amendment conundrum

Slave labor is allowed for convicts.

However wrong that in itself is, these immigrants are being denied constitutional due process, prolonged imprisonment, etc.

This is dangerous and unethical territory.

MF45's administration wants to not only kidnap people, including children, but also to hold them indefinitely.

Here's more info on prison labor.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_labor_in_the_United_States