For-profit prisons were dealt 3 big blows in the last week because of grassroots organizing and awareness fostered by frontline communities and the National Prison Divestment Campaign.
- Responding to years of organizing by immigrant communities, California Governor Brown signed into law SB 29, the Dignity Not Detention Bill. The Dignity Not Detention Bill is a critical step towards ending for-profit immigrant detention in California, and provides a model for other states to follow.
- Washington Representatives and 50 co-sponsors introduced the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act that would phase out private detention centers over a three-year period, and increase transparency and oversight of immigrant detention facilities.
- The Philly Board of Pensions is moving to divest $1.2 million of its portfolio out of private prison companies.
- After advocacy by students and faculty, Georgetown University will not invest in private prison companies.
These efforts to cut our city, state, and federal ties to for-profit are possible because of the bold and fearless leadership of impacted communities, and are part of the path towards ending the criminalization of all immigrant, Muslim, people of color and queer and trans communities. Through the Freedom Cities movement, we are building to replace criminalization with our visions of collective liberation.
Prison Industry Divestment Movement 