Trump Border Czar Received Fees From GEO Group Before Immigration Role

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, received consulting fees from GEO Group, a major private prison operator that manages a large portion of U.S. immigrant detention centers and stands to profit from the administration’s immigration crackdown. Financial disclosures indicate GEO paid Homan more than $5,000 in the two years before his January government appointment, though the actual amount could be higher due to ethics reporting rules. As border czar, Homan has advocated for expanding detention capacity to 100,000 beds, more than doubling the current ICE budget allocation, with GEO securing contracts expected to generate $130 million annually. Critics, including Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats like Sen. Dick Durbin, have voiced serious concerns about conflicts of interest and corruption, urging scrutiny of Homan’s private sector ties influencing immigration enforcement policies. The White House maintains that Homan will recuse himself from decisions involving GEO, asserting adherence to ethical standards. Meanwhile, GEO executives have historical ties to ICE, underscoring the close relationships between private detention companies and federal immigration enforcement agencies.