Australia’s detention contractor is now central to Trump’s ICE crackdown, and its record is raising alarms

Australia’s primary immigration detention contractor, Management and Training Corporation (MTC), is now playing a central role in President Donald Trump’s expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown, prompting renewed scrutiny of the company’s record. The story gained traction when reported by The Guardian, which detailed MTC’s growing involvement in US immigration enforcement.

MTC is a major private prison operator in the United States and currently runs several ICE detention facilities holding thousands of detainees swept up in recent mass arrest campaigns, a context that echoes other reporting on federal immigration enforcement developments, such as the mention of a top figure from ICE exiting Minneapolis. These facilities include Bluebonnet and IAH Polk in Texas, the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico, and the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in California near the Mexican border.

The company’s expanded role has drawn attention in Australia because MTC also operates the country’s immigration detention network under large government contracts. Critics argue that allegations tied to MTC’s US operations raise serious questions about its suitability to manage detention facilities housing vulnerable people.

The company’s past has followed it into Australia’s detention system

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed multiple complaints against MTC over conditions inside its ICE facilities. Allegations include assaults at the Bluebonnet facility, severe overcrowding at IAH Polk and Otero, and the use of solitary confinement as a punitive measure at Otero. A detainee also died at the Imperial facility in September, adding to concerns raised by advocacy groups.

MTC has previously faced other serious accusations in the US unrelated to immigration detention. These have included claims of gross negligence, egregious security failures, and a separate case in which the state of Mississippi accused the company of running a conspiracy scheme involving fraud, money laundering, and kickbacks to state officials to secure contracts.

Despite this history, the Albanese government awarded major detention contracts to MTC’s Australian subsidiary, Secure Journeys Pty Ltd. The company now operates Australia’s onshore detention network and manages offshore processing on Nauru, with the onshore contract awarded in late 2024 valued at $2.3 billion. Reporting has also indicated the company is being paid about $790 million to hold roughly 100 people on Nauru following an expansion of its contract.

Advocates and politicians have since called for an immediate review of these agreements. Eunice Cho, senior counsel at the ACLU’s National Prison Project, said the company’s record should raise serious questions for any government considering a contract, while Asylum Seeker Resource Centre deputy chief executive Jana Favero described the partnership as deeply concerning.

Greens senator David Shoebridge similarly called for an immediate review, arguing that companies profiting from mass detention should not be entrusted with the care of people in government custody. This concern parallels discussions in other arenas, such as recent social media reactions around immigration enforcement trends of going door-to-door.

The Department of Home Affairs has defended its decision, citing a 2023 review by former defence secretary Dennis Richardson that found the government could have confidence in its contract with MTC Australia. The department said the company is required to meet legislative standards and human rights obligations and is subject to evidence-based performance monitoring, while refugee law expert Madeline Gleeson noted that the government’s duty of care does not end when services are outsourced to a private operator.