this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2026
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On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against private prison company Geo Group, denying them a fast-track appeal of a lower court ruling that found they are not immune from being sued.

The initial lawsuit was brought about in 2014 by Alejandro Menocal and other former detainees at the Aurora Immigration Processing Center in Colorado. They filed a class action lawsuit against GEO Group claiming they were forced to clean common areas and were punished with solitary confinement if they said no. Detainees claimed that they worked at the detention center for either $1 a day or no pay at all.

Geo Group, the second-largest contractor for President Trump’s mass detention campaign, didn’t think it should even be able to be sued in the first place.

The prison company argued that it deserved “derivative sovereign immunity,” something usually reserved for the government, because it works with and for the U.S. government. It also claimed that it should have the right to immediate appeals rather than after-trial appeals, which would have allowed it to ignore unfavorable rulings.

Now, thanks to the unanimous Supreme Court ruling, the forced-labor lawsuit brought by the immigrant detainees at Geo Group can move forward.

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[–] rogsson@piefed.social 95 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Government shouldn’t be immune either. They are the people and work for the people. In a sane world. Present did a shitty job? Electric chair. No fucking immunity anywhere.

[–] Stamau123@lemmy.world 31 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Colorado already has limited qualified immunity

Under Colorado Senate Bill 20-217, qualified immunity is not a defense to the civil action, and officers may be liable for up to $25,000 for knowingly unlawful actions. If the peace officer's employer determines the officer did not act upon a good faith and reasonable belief that the action was lawful, then the peace officer is personally liable for 5 percent of the judgment (up to $25,000). A public entity does not have to indemnify a peace officer if the peace officer was convicted of a criminal violation for the conduct from which the claim arises.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 19 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

The Federal Government made QI illegal in 1881. Some unnamed secretary illegally changed the wording of the law in 1884 and it wasn't noticed until recently.

http://web.archive.org/web/20230520080201/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/us/politics/qualified-immunity-supreme-court.html

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Wait, what?! Have there been rulings on this since then? This seems huge.

Although, from the article it doesn't sound like it would have relevance to federal immunity.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

You seem to be correct. It's been a couple years, and I forgot it only applies to state level immunities. As far as I can tell SCOTUS would have to overturn Harlow v Fitzgerald.

[–] village604@adultswim.fan 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

That's a protection against suing specific people, not against suing the government.

You can sue the police department, but if there's qualified immunity you can't sue the cop.

Sovereign Immunity means that the federal government has to give you permission before you can sue them.

[–] grimpy@lemmy.myserv.one 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Present president included!

[–] rogsson@piefed.social 4 points 4 months ago

Nah he’s not worth the electrical bill now that I think of it. Push him off a cliff and hope no stones get hurt. 

[–] Asafum@lemmy.world 88 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Scum... "We deserve all the benefits of a private company, but we also deserve all the protections of a government entity."

Fuck you GEO group...

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 23 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Dont forget about the whole slavery part.

[–] jwt@programming.dev 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm inclined to say slavery is covered by both private companies (outsourcing forced labour to 'less naggy' countries) as well as government entities (with that super convenient exception clause to the 13th amendment)

[–] Stamau123@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

Slavery is explicitly illegal in all cases in Colorado

[–] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

detainees at the Aurora Immigration Processing Center in Colorado.

Were they actually convicted of a crime at the time their labor was coerced? Serious question.

Thirteenth Amendment, Section 1:

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 41 points 4 months ago

Glad this only took 12 goddamn years to resolve...

[–] MintyFresh@lemmy.world 27 points 4 months ago (4 children)

How the fuck are for profit prisons a thing!?!? How the fuck does someone own and operate one of these things and sleep at night?

[–] thesohoriots@lemmy.world 17 points 4 months ago

On a pile of money, dear boy.

[–] defaultusername@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

You already know the answers to both of those questions.

[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The secret ingredient is corruption.

[–] EchoCranium@lemmy.zip 8 points 4 months ago

And sociopathy.

[–] Randomgal@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 months ago

It's literally in the constitution bro

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 14 points 4 months ago

Geez, after 12 years the lawsuit can finally move forward.

[–] 9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world 14 points 4 months ago

Hey it only took 12 years!

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 12 points 4 months ago

"denying them a fast-track appeal of a lower court ruling" that does not sound like strike down.

[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 5 points 4 months ago

"Derivative sovereign immunity" my ass. I am paid through NIH grants, does that give me sovereign immunity? No.

[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Selfish people being selfish.