Growing Federal Spending on Immigrant Enforcement and Detention
As federal spending on immigrant enforcement and detention grows, private prison operator CoreCivic has begun advertising detention officer jobs for two idle Oklahoma facilities in Watonga and Sayre.
Recruitment Efforts and Wage Details
The Tennessee-based company is recruiting officers at a starting wage of $27 per hour as it negotiates with the federal government to reopen the shuttered prisons. CoreCivic’s stock has climbed about 52 percent since President Donald Trump’s election last November.
Comparison with State Starting Rates
That $27 hourly pay is $5.50 higher than Oklahoma’s starting rate for entry-level correctional officers, highlighting the premium the company is advertising to staff the sites.
Conditions for Reopening and Federal Contracts
The positions and the hiring push are tied to CoreCivic’s efforts to secure federal contracts to house detainees. Reopening the Watonga and Sayre facilities would depend on those agreements and on federal demand for detention space.
Industry Response to Federal Budget Trends
CoreCivic’s recruitment campa...