March 16, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, more than 11,000 employees of private sector contractors working in corrections and immigration delivered signed letters to the CEOs of America’s two largest banks – Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase and Brian Moynihan of Bank of America – protesting their announcements about ending financing for the government contractors and setting the record straight about the employees’ work. The bank CEOs were also invited to tour contractors’ facilities to see for themselves the reality of these employees’ work, rather than the false, distorted depiction advanced by activists.

This nationwide employee signature-gathering effort was coordinated by the Day 1 Alliance, a new trade association representing private sector contractors meeting America’s corrections and immigration processing challenges.

In sum, the letters are signed by 11,183 employees of the three largest contractors in the industry – CoreCivic, The GEO Group, and Management & Training Corporation – from 143 corrections and immigration processing facilities across 25 states, for a total of 22,366 employee signatures. Find an example letter here, from CoreCivic employees at the Corpus Christi Transitional Center in Texas to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.

“We are writing today… to share our perspective on the small but valued role our company plays in our nation’s corrections and detention systems,” write the employees. “Unfortunately, special interests frustrated by a range of criminal justice and immigration challenges are spreading false information and narratives about who we are, what we do and how we do it… [We] wanted to make sure you heard the facts directly from us, the men and women on the ground doing the hard work to keep our communities safe, treat every individual in our care with dignity, and make a positive difference in our shared futures. Just like those who serve your company, we’re proud of our company and believe our voices deserve to be heard at any table where decisions impacting us are made.”

The employees set the record straight about the professionalism and care with which they do their jobs, describe the innovative re-entry programming their facilities provide to reduce recidivism, and debunk some common, false myths about the industry. For example, “only 8 percent of incarcerated people are cared for in contractor operated facilities,” the employees write. “Perhaps most important to the current conversation, we have not, do not, and will not operate facilities for the purpose of housing unaccompanied migrant children.”

The letters were delivered to the CEOs and independent directors of the two largest U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Bank of America CEO Bryan Moynihan, which have each made announcements that they will stop providing banking services to government contractors working in the sector. Employee letters will also be sent to five other banks which have recently stated that they plan to deny financial services to their industry:

• Truist (formerly SunTrust), Charlotte, NC
• PNC Bank, Pittsburgh, PA
• Fifth Third Bancorp, Cincinnati, OH
• BNP Paribas SA, Paris, FR
• US Bank NA, Minneapolis, MN

“It is vitally important for these financial institutions to hear the truth from the many thousands of counselors, chaplains, corrections officers, and other employees whose livelihoods are today being negatively impacted by these ‘de-banking’ efforts,” said Alexandra Wilkes, Day 1 Alliance spokesperson. “As the employees make clear, a small number of activists are spreading smears and false information about the work they do in order to protest federal immigration policy, and it’s past time to set the record straight.”

“We invite bank CEOs to visit our facilities, talk with staff and the men and women in our care, and learn first-hand the reality of the work our employees do every day, which bears no resemblance to the lies and politically-motivated spin from radical activists,” continued Wilkes.

A full breakdown of the 143 facilities in 25 states where the 11,183 employees signing these letters work is available here.

In addition, along with the boxes of employee-signed letters, the Day 1 Alliance sent a transmittal letter to each bank executive and director. An example transmittal letter, to JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon, is available here.

About the Day 1 Alliance:

The Day 1 Alliance (D1A) is a trade association representing private sector contractors helping address corrections and detention challenges in the United States. For more than 35 years, D1A members have worked with local, state, and federal governments led by members of both political parties to provide professional, humane, and respectful treatment to incarcerated and detained individuals. From day one, we understand we have a responsibility to provide safe and dignified care to those in our facilities. D1A members do not lobby for or against policies, regulations, or legislation that impact the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention.

The founding members of the Day 1 Alliance are CoreCivic, The GEO Group, and Management & Training Corporation.

Learn more at day1alliance.org and follow us on Twitter @TheDay1Alliance.

Media inquiries:
contact@day1alliance.org

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