Citizens Financial Group has played a significant role in financing CoreCivic and The GEO Group, two of the country’s largest private prison and detention companies and major contractors in the federal immigration-detention system. According to the De-ICE Citizens Bank campaign, Citizens financial relationship with the private-prison industry stretches back to at least 2012.

Citizens served as the administrative agent for GEO Group credit agreements, this involves coordinating financing between the borrower and participating lenders. A January 2026 SEC filing shows us that an agreement administered by Citizens increased GEO’s revolving credit commitments from $450 million to $550 million. These financing arrangements provide companies with access to capital and liquidity that can support their operations and expansion.

A major ACLU, Physicians for Human Rights and American Oversight investigation examining 52 deaths in ICE custody from 2017 through 2021 found that 49, (or 95%), were preventable or possibly preventable with clinically appropriate medical care.

Public pressure has produced major results.

On July 17, 2026, Citizens announced that it would exit its lending relationships with CoreCivic and GEO Group. Citizens said the decision was caused by changing financial needs rather than a change in its position toward the companies, which is why organizers continue to watch the bank’s actions.

The De-ICE Citizens Bank campaign is now focused on making sure Citizens follows through, documenting the exit through public financial filings, and pressing the bank to make a broader commitment against financing private-prison and ICE detention operations in the future.

People who want to participate can use the coalition’s Take Action resources to learn about their accounts, contacting the bank, organizing local actions and examining investments, the Boycott Toolkit provides organizing and messaging materials and the De-ICE Citizens Bank campaign site offers updates, events and opportunities to connect with participating grassroots groups like ours.