The immigrants who could be eligible for the award, which was introduced Friday, labored on the Northwest ICE Processing Heart in Tacoma since 2014. The GEO Group, a Florida-based firm that runs the for-profit facility, may attraction, which means the cash will not be distributed till that is resolved.
“It is essential on plenty of grounds. It is the primary case within the nation the place a decide or jury has discovered that detained immigrants working at privately owned services are entitled to be paid minimal wage or a good wage for his or her labor in retaining the services operating,” mentioned Berger, who works on the agency Schroeter Goldmark & Bender.
Greater than 10,000 detainees could be eligible for the award cash. Immigrants are held on the facility whereas their immigration standing is being decided, Berger mentioned.
Washington Lawyer Common Bob Ferguson, a Democrat who filed the lawsuit towards The GEO Group in 2017, sharply criticized the corporate in an announcement earlier this week.
“This multi-billion-dollar company illegally exploited the individuals it detains to line its personal pockets,” Ferguson mentioned.
CNN has reached out to The GEO Group for remark.
