In a significant decision, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from GEO Group, a private prison operator, allowing a lawsuit that alleges the company forced immigration detainees in Colorado to work under harsh conditions for minimal or no pay to proceed. This ruling does not assess the case's merits but confirms that legal action against the company can continue, which could have broad implications for the treatment and labor practices of private contractors managing immigration facilities.

The case, initiated in 2014, highlights serious accusations that detainees at the Aurora facility were compelled to undertake unpaid janitorial roles and other manual labor to maintain the premises and compensate for inadequate meal provisions. Reports indicate that some detainees were paid as little as $1 a day, prompting concerns about exploitation and labor rights violations within the immigration detention system.

GEO Group has maintained that its labor practices are in line with federal guidelines and that it should be protected from such lawsuits. By allowing the lawsuit to advance, the Supreme Court has opened a crucial dialogue on the accountability of private contractors in the immigration detention sector, potentially influencing future cases regarding labor rights and the treatment of immigrants in custody.