Sign the petition: Detaining humans in prison camps for profit is WRONG! End tax breaks for private prison companies

Congress

Private prisons must never get tax breaks again.

Trump's administration continues to detain migrants at the southern border, and prison companies that profit from the detention centers are rewarded with unjustified and obscene tax breaks.

Private prisons make money by locking people up. The private prison industry fills cages with black and brown people, puts them to (nearly unpaid) work, and profits billions.

Companies that make billions off of putting children in cages shouldn't get tax breaks!

A bill proposed by Sen. Ron Wyden would strip private prisons of the ability to be considered real estate investment trust (REITs). REITs allow for a special tax exemption that sees companies taxed at the individual rather than corporate level.

Under Wyden's bill, companies that run private prisons and immigration detention centers would not be able to receive status as REITs and would have to pay taxes at both the corporate and shareholder levels.

The Trump administration continues to lock up thousands and thousands of migrants and children in camps. Private prison companies continue to profit off of nearly unpaid labor and controversial detainments. Private companies profiting from such mistreatment DO NOT deserve a tax break!

Sign the petition to demand Congress put an end to private prison tax breaks!

Participating Organizations:
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund
BYP 100: Black Youth Project 100
Color of Change
CREDO
Daily Kos
Franciscan Action Network
Mijente
The Workers Center for Racial Justice

To: Congress
From: [Your Name]

There is absolutely no reason private prison companies should receive favorable tax treatment and subsidies, which are not available for any other private entity. These companies not only continue to profit over the detainment and abuse of humans, but are rewarded through tax breaks. We demand you amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude corporations operating prisons from the definition of taxable REIT subsidiary.