January 16, 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued an Opinion by a 2-1 vote affirming the lower court’s decision. That Opinion includes a 24-page dissenting opinion.
On February 6, 2025, GEO timely filed its Petition for Rehearing En Banc. On March 20, 2025, the United States filed an Amicus Brief with the Ninth Circuit in which it argued that the January 16, 2025 decision of the Ninth Circuit is incorrect in multiple respects, runs contrary to Circuit precedent, and creates significant tension with the case law of other circuits. The United States argued that the application of the state minimum-wage law to federal immigration detainees in the voluntary work program is preempted by a federal appropriation statute that sets the minimum allowance for detainee participants at $1 per day. Additionally, the United States argued that the application of the state minimum-wage law to federal immigration detainees likewise impermissibly discriminates against the federal government in violation of intergovernmental-immunity principles.
On August 13, 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued an order denying GEO’s Petition for Rehearing En Banc. That order included six dissenting opinions. On September 2, 2025, the Ninth Circuit granted GEO’s motion to stay the issuance of the Court’s mandate pending GEO’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court.
A final mandate has not been issued by the Ninth Circuit, and the appeal remains pending until resolution of GEO's Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court. On January 9, 2026, GEO filed its Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court. Briefing on GEO’s Petition was completed on April 24, 2026. Although the Company strongly disputes this claim and continues to vigorously defend itself, the Company accrued a reserve of approximately $37.6 million, which is included in Other Non-Current Liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification No. 450 - Contingencies during the third quarter of 2025.
In California, a class action lawsuit was filed on December 19, 2017, by immigration detainees against the Company in the U.S. District Court, Eastern Division of the Central District of California. The California lawsuit alleges violations of the state’s minimum wage laws, violations of the TVPA and California's equivalent state statute, unjust enrichment, unfair competition and retaliation. The California court has certified a class of individuals who have been civilly detained at the Company's Adelanto Facility from December 19, 2014, until the date of final judgment. On March 31, 2022, the court entered a stay until the Ninth Circuit rules on the State of Washington lawsuits, which is stayed pending resolution of GEO’s Petition in Nwauzor v. GEO Group for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.
Current and former detainees of the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center and the Golden State Annex ICE Processing Center filed a class action lawsuit on July 13, 2022, against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Fresno Division. The complaint alleges that federal detainees who volunteer to participate in the VWP at GEO’s Mesa Verde and Golden State Annex ICE facilities are employees of GEO and entitled to the state’s minimum wage. Plaintiffs also make claims for unfair competition, unjust enrichment, human trafficking, forced labor, California's Private Attorneys General Act, and retaliation. GEO filed both a motion to stay the action pending the Ninth Circuit's decision in the State of Washington lawsuits and a motion to dismiss the action in its entirety. On July 10, 2023, the court entered a stay until the Ninth Circuit rules on the State of Washington lawsuits. On February 10, 2025, the Court denied plaintiffs’ request to lift the stay until the Ninth Circuit rules on GEO’s Petition for Rehearing En Banc, which is stayed pending resolution of GEO’s Petition in Nwauzor v. GEO Group for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.
GEO believes it operates the VWP in full compliance with its contract with ICE and all applicable laws, regulations, and standards. GEO strongly disputes the claims made in these lawsuits and intends to take all necessary steps to vigorously defend itself from these lawsuits. GEO has not recorded any accruals relating to these lawsuits, other than in connection with the Nwauzor case discussed above, at this time as losses are not considered probable nor reasonably estimable. If GEO were not to prevail in these cases, it could have an adverse effect on GEO's business and results of operations.
Challenges to State Legislation that Conflict with Federal Contracts
On July 13, 2023, the Company filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against the State of Washington for declaratory and injunctive relief challenging the State of Washington’s newly enacted law – House Bill 1470. House Bill 1470 purports to empower state agencies with new rule making, inspection, investigation, and testing powers over the Northwest ICE Processing Center. House Bill 1470 also creates a statutory regime of civil penalties applicable to private detention facilities for violations of House Bill 1470 detention standards, and purports to create a private right of action for detainees aggrieved by violations of the statute. On March 8, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington entered an order preliminarily enjoining the enforcement of House Bill 1470 against GEO as the operator of the Northwest ICE Processing Center. On April 29, 2024, the State of Washington filed a Notice of Appeal of the order preliminarily enjoining the enforcement of House Bill 1470. On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard arguments on the State of Washington’s appeal. On May 23, 2025, GEO filed a motion to dismiss the appeal as moot based on a newly enacted statute that amended portions of HB 1470. On