U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has incorporated changes requested by one of its largest contractors, Geo Group, in the newly revised federal standards governing immigration detention facilities, according to a person familiar with the matter. The updates, posted on ICE’s website this week, reflect modifications sought by Geo, a corporation that operates more than a dozen ICE detention centers and has been the subject of lawsuits alleging violations of minimum-wage laws by paying some detainees $1 per day for work.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Geo sought removal of language requiring contractors to comply with state and local laws regarding detainee treatment and pushed for language affirming that detainees are not employees, a position the company has emphasized amid ongoing legal challenges. The revised standards now explicitly state that detainees are not employees and therefore are not entitled to wages or benefits under applicable labor laws. Additionally, previous references mandating a minimum daily wage of $1 for detainee work were omitted.

The standards set by ICE provide the framework for detention facility operations, covering a broad range of issues from search procedures to solitary confinement policies, and are enforced through contracts with private firms and local jurisdictions. The agency’s relationship with Geo, which has expanded facility capacity in step with the administration’s increased immigration enforcement efforts, highlights the complex role ICE plays as both regulator and client. Geo’s involvement in the revisions had not been publicly disclosed before.

The revisions have attracted scrutiny, as Geo faces legal action in states including New Jersey, where authorities allege poor conditions at the Delaney Hall facility in Newark, including hunger strikes sparked by allegations of spoiled food and limited access to hygiene products. Geo’s legal representatives contend that state health inspectors require ICE’s permission to access the facility.

ICE officials indicated that one aim of the changes was to ease operational burdens on detention contractors. CoreCivic, another major detention company, was also consulted during the revision process, though it is unclear whether the firm influenced the final standards. DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis said ICE considered input from multiple stakeholders alongside legal and policy obligations when finalizing the rules.

Critics, including immigrant rights advocates and legal experts, argue that the changes weaken detainee protections and circumvent labor laws. Jacqueline Stevens of Northwestern University noted that federal and state labor regulations broadly define employee status and cannot be overridden by ICE contract terms. Others highlighted concerns about conflicts of interest, pointing to ICE’s current acting director, David Venturella, who previously held senior executive roles at Geo Group and received a federal ethics waiver to work on contracts involving his former company.

Political connections also figure prominently: Geo Group and CoreCivic each donated $500,000 to former President Donald Trump’s 2024 inaugural fund, while a Geo subsidiary contributed $2 million to a Trump-aligned political action committee during the past year.

The updated standards introduce some measures aimed at improving detainee conditions, such as expanded language access services, stricter controls on solitary confinement use, and requirements for notifying ICE when medical needs cannot be met. They also clarify that facilities cannot refuse detainees assigned by ICE. However, a Geo proposal to have the government reimburse contractors up to $100 million for legal costs related to wage lawsuits was not incorporated.

New rules will be implemented gradually as contracts are renewed or established, with at least one facility in Minnesota already operating under the 2026 standards. Observers say the impact of these changes on ongoing litigation and detainee rights will continue to be closely monitored.