A disturbing story on NPR this morning describes a “quiet, behind-the-scenes effort to help draft and pass Arizona Senate Bill 1070 by an industry that stands to benefit from it: the private prison industry.”
Prison Economics Help Drive Arizona Immigration Law: The investigation uncovers how the AZ law was born in a hotel room with about 50 people organized by ALEC, a membership organization of legislators and powerful corporations including big tobacco and the Corrections Corporation of America, the largest private prison company in the country. According to company reports reviewed by NPR, company executives see immigrant detention as their next big money maker. 30 of the 36 co-signers in AZ received campaign contributions from prison lobbyists or companies.