Vice President Kamala Harris looks on as President Joe Biden signs executives orders related to his racial equity agenda in the State Dining Room of the White House on January 26, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Doug Mills/Getty Images)
Jan 25, 2021
Criminal justice reform advocates on Tuesday welcomed an executive order from President Joe Biden phasing out Department of Justice contracts with private prisons as a meaningful first step, even as the president faced criticism over the order's limited scope and impact.
"We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation... that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives."
--President Joe Biden
In announcing Tuesday's orders, Biden acknowledged the wave of racial justice protests that swept the nation in the wake of last year's killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by Minneapolis police, which the president said "opened the eyes of millions."
"We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation... that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives," Biden admitted, declaring that "now's the time to act."
\u201cPresident Biden: "We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation."\u201d— The Hill (@The Hill) 1611692044
"More than two million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, including a disproportionate number of people of color," the executive order states. "There is broad consensus that our current system of mass incarceration imposes significant costs and hardships on our society and communities and does not make us safer."
"To decrease incarceration levels, we must reduce profit-based incentives to incarcerate by phasing out the federal government's reliance on privately operated criminal detention facilities," it adds.
To that end, Biden's order directs the office of the attorney general--currently headed by Monty Wilkinson in an acting capacity pending the Senate confirmation of Merrick Garland--to "not renew Department of Justice contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities."
\u201cThis is great development & important step.\n\nThere\u2019s more to be done to end the for-profit caging of people in the US. We must include ending for-profit immigrant detention & examine the use of for-profit services that squeeze families of the incarcerated in public prisons, too.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1611696174
The order will affect around 14,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated in private prisons, or about 9% of the federal prison population--and just 0.6% of the approximately 2.3 million people incarcerated in US prisons and jails. It does not apply to other federal agencies that contract with private prisons, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Progressive lawmakers, organizations, and advocates welcomed the order, even while many noted its considerable limitations.
\u201cThis is a big step. But it is just that \u2014 a step.\n\nWe must keep fighting to end profiteering off of all jails and prisons.\n\nWe look forward to working further with President @JoeBiden to overhaul our unjust carceral system and end mass incarceration.\u201d— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@Jamaal Bowman Ed.D) 1611685586
\u201cWe must eliminate the financial incentive to incarcerate and detain people.\n\nKudos to @JoeBiden for swiftly ending DOJ contracts with private prisons. I\u2019m confident the new administration will work to end for-profit immigration detention as well. https://t.co/VFRBH010ld\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1611687236
\u201cNow states must follow suit.\n\nPrivate prisons and private detention centers should NOT exist.\u201d— Pramila Jayapal (@Pramila Jayapal) 1611693687
The order on prisons was one of a set of racial equity measures enacted by Biden on Tuesday. The president also issued a memorandum ordering the Department of Housing and Urban Development to "redress historical racism in federal housing policies" and fully implement the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
Additionally, he signed an executive order re-affirming the federal government's commitment to Indigenous sovereignty, and another memorandum condemning "racism, xenophobia, and intolerance" against Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, which has spiked during the coronavirus pandemic, in part due to racist rhetoric from former President Donald Trump.
\u201cThis is a welcome first step by the Biden administration. \n\nThere are no human rights without racial equity, and there is no racial equity without human rights.\u201d— Amnesty International USA (@Amnesty International USA) 1611689588
Dorian Spence, director of special litigation and advocacy at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued a statement praising Biden's actions on Tuesday as a "welcome change."
"Following four years of the Trump administration turning a blind eye to racial inequity and injustice at every turn, we are pleased that this new administration is centering its focus around issues impacting the lives and reality faced by people of color in this country," he said.
"The forerunners of these executive orders and other future actions for racial equity were embodied in last summer's protests in the streets, and through a commitment from the millions of registered voters who turned out during a pandemic to vote in numbers not seen in our nation's history," Spence added.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
alexandria ocasio-cortezamnesty internationalcivil rightsgeorge floydhousinghuman rightsimmigrationindigenousjamaal bowmanjoe bidenjulian castropramila jayapalprisonsracismrights & justiceus department of justice
Criminal justice reform advocates on Tuesday welcomed an executive order from President Joe Biden phasing out Department of Justice contracts with private prisons as a meaningful first step, even as the president faced criticism over the order's limited scope and impact.
"We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation... that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives."
--President Joe Biden
In announcing Tuesday's orders, Biden acknowledged the wave of racial justice protests that swept the nation in the wake of last year's killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by Minneapolis police, which the president said "opened the eyes of millions."
"We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation... that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives," Biden admitted, declaring that "now's the time to act."
\u201cPresident Biden: "We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation."\u201d— The Hill (@The Hill) 1611692044
"More than two million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, including a disproportionate number of people of color," the executive order states. "There is broad consensus that our current system of mass incarceration imposes significant costs and hardships on our society and communities and does not make us safer."
"To decrease incarceration levels, we must reduce profit-based incentives to incarcerate by phasing out the federal government's reliance on privately operated criminal detention facilities," it adds.
To that end, Biden's order directs the office of the attorney general--currently headed by Monty Wilkinson in an acting capacity pending the Senate confirmation of Merrick Garland--to "not renew Department of Justice contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities."
\u201cThis is great development & important step.\n\nThere\u2019s more to be done to end the for-profit caging of people in the US. We must include ending for-profit immigrant detention & examine the use of for-profit services that squeeze families of the incarcerated in public prisons, too.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1611696174
The order will affect around 14,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated in private prisons, or about 9% of the federal prison population--and just 0.6% of the approximately 2.3 million people incarcerated in US prisons and jails. It does not apply to other federal agencies that contract with private prisons, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Progressive lawmakers, organizations, and advocates welcomed the order, even while many noted its considerable limitations.
\u201cThis is a big step. But it is just that \u2014 a step.\n\nWe must keep fighting to end profiteering off of all jails and prisons.\n\nWe look forward to working further with President @JoeBiden to overhaul our unjust carceral system and end mass incarceration.\u201d— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@Jamaal Bowman Ed.D) 1611685586
\u201cWe must eliminate the financial incentive to incarcerate and detain people.\n\nKudos to @JoeBiden for swiftly ending DOJ contracts with private prisons. I\u2019m confident the new administration will work to end for-profit immigration detention as well. https://t.co/VFRBH010ld\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1611687236
\u201cNow states must follow suit.\n\nPrivate prisons and private detention centers should NOT exist.\u201d— Pramila Jayapal (@Pramila Jayapal) 1611693687
The order on prisons was one of a set of racial equity measures enacted by Biden on Tuesday. The president also issued a memorandum ordering the Department of Housing and Urban Development to "redress historical racism in federal housing policies" and fully implement the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
Additionally, he signed an executive order re-affirming the federal government's commitment to Indigenous sovereignty, and another memorandum condemning "racism, xenophobia, and intolerance" against Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, which has spiked during the coronavirus pandemic, in part due to racist rhetoric from former President Donald Trump.
\u201cThis is a welcome first step by the Biden administration. \n\nThere are no human rights without racial equity, and there is no racial equity without human rights.\u201d— Amnesty International USA (@Amnesty International USA) 1611689588
Dorian Spence, director of special litigation and advocacy at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued a statement praising Biden's actions on Tuesday as a "welcome change."
"Following four years of the Trump administration turning a blind eye to racial inequity and injustice at every turn, we are pleased that this new administration is centering its focus around issues impacting the lives and reality faced by people of color in this country," he said.
"The forerunners of these executive orders and other future actions for racial equity were embodied in last summer's protests in the streets, and through a commitment from the millions of registered voters who turned out during a pandemic to vote in numbers not seen in our nation's history," Spence added.
Criminal justice reform advocates on Tuesday welcomed an executive order from President Joe Biden phasing out Department of Justice contracts with private prisons as a meaningful first step, even as the president faced criticism over the order's limited scope and impact.
"We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation... that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives."
--President Joe Biden
In announcing Tuesday's orders, Biden acknowledged the wave of racial justice protests that swept the nation in the wake of last year's killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by Minneapolis police, which the president said "opened the eyes of millions."
"We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation... that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives," Biden admitted, declaring that "now's the time to act."
\u201cPresident Biden: "We've never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation."\u201d— The Hill (@The Hill) 1611692044
"More than two million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, including a disproportionate number of people of color," the executive order states. "There is broad consensus that our current system of mass incarceration imposes significant costs and hardships on our society and communities and does not make us safer."
"To decrease incarceration levels, we must reduce profit-based incentives to incarcerate by phasing out the federal government's reliance on privately operated criminal detention facilities," it adds.
To that end, Biden's order directs the office of the attorney general--currently headed by Monty Wilkinson in an acting capacity pending the Senate confirmation of Merrick Garland--to "not renew Department of Justice contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities."
\u201cThis is great development & important step.\n\nThere\u2019s more to be done to end the for-profit caging of people in the US. We must include ending for-profit immigrant detention & examine the use of for-profit services that squeeze families of the incarcerated in public prisons, too.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1611696174
The order will affect around 14,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated in private prisons, or about 9% of the federal prison population--and just 0.6% of the approximately 2.3 million people incarcerated in US prisons and jails. It does not apply to other federal agencies that contract with private prisons, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Progressive lawmakers, organizations, and advocates welcomed the order, even while many noted its considerable limitations.
\u201cThis is a big step. But it is just that \u2014 a step.\n\nWe must keep fighting to end profiteering off of all jails and prisons.\n\nWe look forward to working further with President @JoeBiden to overhaul our unjust carceral system and end mass incarceration.\u201d— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@Jamaal Bowman Ed.D) 1611685586
\u201cWe must eliminate the financial incentive to incarcerate and detain people.\n\nKudos to @JoeBiden for swiftly ending DOJ contracts with private prisons. I\u2019m confident the new administration will work to end for-profit immigration detention as well. https://t.co/VFRBH010ld\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1611687236
\u201cNow states must follow suit.\n\nPrivate prisons and private detention centers should NOT exist.\u201d— Pramila Jayapal (@Pramila Jayapal) 1611693687
The order on prisons was one of a set of racial equity measures enacted by Biden on Tuesday. The president also issued a memorandum ordering the Department of Housing and Urban Development to "redress historical racism in federal housing policies" and fully implement the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
Additionally, he signed an executive order re-affirming the federal government's commitment to Indigenous sovereignty, and another memorandum condemning "racism, xenophobia, and intolerance" against Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, which has spiked during the coronavirus pandemic, in part due to racist rhetoric from former President Donald Trump.
\u201cThis is a welcome first step by the Biden administration. \n\nThere are no human rights without racial equity, and there is no racial equity without human rights.\u201d— Amnesty International USA (@Amnesty International USA) 1611689588
Dorian Spence, director of special litigation and advocacy at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued a statement praising Biden's actions on Tuesday as a "welcome change."
"Following four years of the Trump administration turning a blind eye to racial inequity and injustice at every turn, we are pleased that this new administration is centering its focus around issues impacting the lives and reality faced by people of color in this country," he said.
"The forerunners of these executive orders and other future actions for racial equity were embodied in last summer's protests in the streets, and through a commitment from the millions of registered voters who turned out during a pandemic to vote in numbers not seen in our nation's history," Spence added.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.