This weekend, Congressman Christian Menefee (TX-18) conducted an oversight visit to the Houston Contract Detention Facility, operated by CoreCivic under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Menefee, who was elected to represent Texas’s 18th Congressional District in 2022, emphasized the importance of congressional oversight and human rights during his visit.

The facility currently houses approximately 750 detainees, many of whom spend up to 20 hours per day confined to a single room. Around 40% are detained not due to criminal convictions but solely because of their undocumented status.

“Trump promised the American people he was going after violent criminals,” said Congressman Menefee. “But hundreds of people at this facility are simply not that. They are members of our community, being held in incarceration-type conditions for 20 hours a day. This cruelty makes no one safer.”

The visit comes weeks after a federal court reaffirmed Members of Congress’ right to conduct oversight inspections, following attempts by the Trump administration to block such visits. Menefee stressed that his observations highlighted systemic issues in the enforcement of immigration policy.

“Americans agree that violent criminals should be deported and that border communities deserve protection. But what the Trump administration is doing goes far beyond that,” said Congressman Menefee. “My visit showed that the administration is demonizing, rounding up, and detaining people who have been contributing to our communities instead of focusing on violent criminals.”

Menefee also underscored the positive contributions of immigrants to local communities. “Immigrants are our neighbors. So many are business owners, workers, and part of the fabric of our communities,” Congressman Menefee said. “Congress must find a pathway to citizenship for long-term residents who are here, living with their families, contributing to our communities, and not getting into trouble. That is the immigration system the American people deserve, and it is nowhere close to what we have today.”

Beyond conditions at detention facilities, Menefee criticized ICE’s broader actions under the Trump administration, citing instances of violence and community terror. He affirmed that he will continue voting against ICE funding until accountability and meaningful reform are implemented.

“What we’ve seen from ICE in the streets shows we need real immigration reform. That we’re detaining so many people who have committed no crime is just more evidence of that,” Congressman Menefee said. “I will keep doing this oversight work, keep asking hard questions, and keep pushing for a system that is actually fair.”

The visit also coincides with growing scrutiny of the financial incentives behind private detention facilities. Public financial information shows that in 2025, CoreCivic reported total revenue of approximately $2.2 billion, up roughly 13% from the prior year, with much of the growth driven by expanded detention contracts, including those with ICE.

Industry estimates indicate that CoreCivic received about $742 million in revenue from ICE detention contracts in 2025, up from roughly $568 million the previous year. ICE is one of CoreCivic’s largest government clients, alongside the U.S. Marshals Service and other federal agencies. The ICE-related revenue represents a substantial portion of the company’s detention business, highlighting how the detention of immigrants has become a significant financial driver for private prison operators.