Report: ICE contractors fund Mike Rogers US Senate campaign in Michigan

FEC records show private prison giants CoreCivic and GEO Group—both major ICE contractors—have donated thousands to elect Republican Mike Rogers to the US Senate.

MICHIGAN—Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers has accepted more than $20,000 from private prison companies that operate detention facilities for US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to federal election records analyzed by The ‘Gander. 

Those donors include political action committees and executives tied to CoreCivic and GEO Group, the nation’s two largest private prison companies. Both firms are contracting with ICE to detain thousands of immigrants this year, including at a detention facility in Northern Michigan.

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Federal filings show Rogers has accepted at least $20,625 in contributions from the two companies in recent years, including $15,000 from CoreCivic and its executives in 2025 alone.

The money trail

Campaign finance records show multiple donations tied to private prison companies.

That includes:

• $5,000 from CoreCivic’s PAC to Rogers for Senate in November 2025
• $10,000 from CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger to Rogers’ joint fundraising committee
• $5,625 combined from GEO Group’s PAC across contributions dating back to 2023

Together, those contributions make Rogers one of several Republican candidates nationwide who are now receiving financial support from private prison companies and their leadership. 

Rogers’ campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the donations.

A growing industry with federal backing

The campaign contributions come at a time when private prison companies are poised to benefit from a major expansion of federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically increased funding for ICE, including by providing tens of billions of dollars for detention capacity, deportation operations, and enforcement staffing. ICE’s detainee population has already climbed sharply over the past year, and internal federal projections have suggested capacity could more than double in the near future.

Private prison firms play a central role in that system. 

ICE relies heavily on contractors to operate detention facilities and transport detainees, making companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group key partners in federal immigration enforcement.

Both corporations have recently reported rising revenues and have told investors they expect continued growth as immigration detention expands. Hininger—CoreCivic’s CEO who donated to Rogers—has described the moment as “pivotal” for the industry, while GEO Group executives have outlined what they see as growth opportunities under the Trump administration. 

Rogers’ defense of ICE

The financial support also comes as Rogers has taken a vocal stance defending ICE and criticizing Democratic officials who speak out against the agency and its violent tactics. 

In a recent interview with Breitbart, Rogers condemned political leaders who criticize ICE operations, calling such rhetoric “absolute malpractice” and accusing some officials of encouraging hostility toward law enforcement. His comments align with broader Republican messaging that frames immigration enforcement as a top public safety priority for Michigan.

The ‘Gander recently sent questions to Michigan’s US Senate candidates, asking for their views on whether ICE needed to be reformed. Rogers was the only candidate who didn’t respond. 

A bigger pattern

The private prison donations are the latest example of Rogers’ campaign drawing financial support from controversial donors with strong ideological interests in federal policy.

Records show Rogers has also benefited from major outside spending linked to Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn, a megadonor known for backing hardline conservative causes.

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Rogers has also received a boost from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion group that recently announced a multi-million-dollar effort to help elect him in Michigan. 

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An anti-abortion group is dumping $4.5 million into Michigan for Mike Rogers. And yes, there appear to be strings attached. 👀

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Additionally, Rogers’ campaign and joint fundraising committee also accepted a $12,000 contribution from billionaire Republican donor John W. Childs, who in 2019 was charged with soliciting prostitution during a Florida investigation tied to a human trafficking ring.

READ MORE: Michigan’s US Senate race exposes divide over ICE accountability

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