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Commitments, Contingencies and Other Matters
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments, Contingencies and Other Matters

11. COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER MATTERS

Litigation, Claims and Assessments

 

Immigration Detainee Litigation

 

Civil immigration detainees at the Aurora ICE Processing Center filed a class action lawsuit on October 22, 2014, against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The complaint alleges that the Company was in violation of the Colorado Minimum Wage Act ("CMWA") and the Federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act (“TVPA”). The complaint also claims that the Company was unjustly enriched based on the level of payment the detainees received for work performed in a Voluntary Work Program ("VWP") the Company is required to implement at the facility under the terms of its contract with the federal government. On July 6, 2015, the court found that detainees were not employees under the CMWA and dismissed this claim. On February 27, 2017, the court granted the plaintiffs' motion for class certification on the TVPA and unjust enrichment claims. The plaintiffs' class seeks actual damages, compensatory damages, exemplary damages, punitive damages, restitution, attorneys’ fees and costs, and such other relief as the court may deem proper. On October 18, 2022, the court issued an order granting plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment on the Company’s affirmative defenses, denying the Company’s motion for summary judgment, motion to dismiss, and motion for decertification of the class, narrowing the class period for plaintiffs’ TVPA claims, and otherwise ruling against the Company’s motions for relief. All trial dates were stayed by court order pending appeal of certain of GEO's defenses to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral argument before the Tenth Circuit was held on September 18, 2023. On October 22, 2024, the Tenth Circuit issued an Order finding appellate review of GEO’s claim of immunity was premature and, therefore, the Tenth Circuit was currently without jurisdiction to consider the merits of GEO’s claimed immunity. On January 13, 2025, GEO filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court seeking review of the Tenth Circuit's decision. On June 2, 2025, the United States Supreme Court granted GEO’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari. Oral argument before the Supreme Court was set for November 10, 2025. All trial dates remain stayed pending a decision by the Supreme Court.

 

The first of two State of Washington lawsuits, Nwauzor v. GEO Group, was filed on September 26, 2017, by immigration detainees against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The second lawsuit was filed on September 20, 2017, by the State Attorney General against the Company in the Superior Court of the State of Washington for Pierce County, which the Company removed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on October 9, 2017. The plaintiffs claimed that State of Washington minimum wage laws should be enforced with respect to detainees who volunteer to participate in a VWP administered by GEO at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (the "Center") as required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the terms of GEO’s contract. The Center houses people in the custody of federal immigration authorities while the federal government is determining their immigration status. In October 2021, an unfavorable jury verdict and court judgment resulting in a combined $23.2 million judgment entered against the Company in the retrial of the two cases, which judgment amounts were subsequently increased by a further award against the Company of attorney’s fees, costs, and pre-judgment interest in the amount of $14.4 million. Post-judgment interest is accruing on these judgments in accordance with Washington law. The trial court waived the necessity to post a supersedeas bond for the combined judgments and has stayed enforcement of the verdict and judgments while GEO’s appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is pending. Oral argument before the Ninth Circuit was held on October 6, 2022.

 

On March 7, 2023, the Ninth Circuit certified certain state law questions to the Washington Supreme Court. Oral argument before the Washington Supreme Court was held on October 17, 2023. On December 21, 2023, the Washington Supreme Court issued an opinion answering the questions certified by the Ninth Circuit. Under the Ninth Circuit’s March 7, 2023, order certifying the above questions to the Washington Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit resumed control and jurisdiction over the State of Washington lawsuits. On February 21, 2024, the United States Department of Justice filed its Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae in Support of GEO, arguing that the State of Washington judgments should be reversed because the Supremacy Clause precludes application of the Washington Minimum Wage Statute to work programs for federal detainees. In its Brief, the Department of Justice asserted that application of the Washington law independently contravened intergovernmental immunity because it would make federal detainees subject to provisions that do not apply, and never have applied, to persons in state custody, singling out a contractor with the federal government for obligations Washington does not itself bear. The Department of Justice also contended that the immigration statutory structure approved by Congress does not contemplate a role for states or state law in governing the VWP for federal detainees. On January 16, 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued an Opinion by a 2-1 vote affirming the lower court’s decision. That Opinion includes a 24-page dissenting opinion.

 

On February 6, 2025, GEO timely filed its Petition for Rehearing En Banc. On March 20, 2025, the United States filed an Amicus Brief with the Ninth Circuit in which it argued that the January 16, 2025 decision of the Ninth Circuit is incorrect in multiple respects, runs contrary to Circuit precedent, and creates significant tension with the case law of other circuits. The United States argued that the application of the state minimum-wage law to federal immigration detainees in the voluntary work program is preempted by a federal appropriation statute that sets the minimum allowance for detainee participants at $1 per day. Additionally, the United States argued

that the application of the state minimum-wage law to federal immigration detainees likewise impermissibly discriminates against the federal government in violation of intergovernmental-immunity principles.

 

On August 13, 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued an order denying GEO’s Petition for Rehearing En Banc. That order included six dissenting opinions. On September 2, 2025, the Ninth Circuit granted GEO’s motion to stay the issuance of the Court’s mandate pending GEO’s application for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court.

 

A final mandate has not been issued by the Ninth Circuit, and the appeal remains pending until resolution of GEO's Petition for Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court. Although the Company strongly disputes this claim and continues to vigorously defend itself, the Company accrued a reserve of approximately $37.6 million, which is included in Other Non-Current Liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification No. 450 - Contingencies during the third quarter of 2025.

In California, a class action lawsuit was filed on December 19, 2017, by immigration detainees against the Company in the U.S. District Court, Eastern Division of the Central District of California. The California lawsuit alleges violations of the state’s minimum wage laws, violations of the TVPA and California's equivalent state statute, unjust enrichment, unfair competition and retaliation. The California court has certified a class of individuals who have been civilly detained at the Company's Adelanto Facility from December 19, 2014, until the date of final judgment. On March 31, 2022, the court entered a stay until the Ninth Circuit rules on the State of Washington lawsuits, which is stayed pending GEO’s Petition for Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

Current and former detainees of the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center and the Golden State Annex ICE Processing Center filed a class action lawsuit on July 13, 2022, against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Fresno Division. The complaint alleges that federal detainees who volunteer to participate in the VWP at GEO’s Mesa Verde and Golden State Annex ICE facilities are employees of GEO and entitled to the state’s minimum wage. Plaintiffs also make claims for unfair competition, unjust enrichment, human trafficking, forced labor, California's Private Attorneys General Act and retaliation. GEO filed both a motion to stay the action pending the Ninth Circuit's decision in the State of Washington lawsuits and a motion to dismiss the action in its entirety. On July 10, 2023, the court entered a stay until the Ninth Circuit rules on the State of Washington lawsuits. On February 10, 2025, the Court denied plaintiffs’ request to lift the stay until the Ninth Circuit rules on GEO’s Petition for Rehearing En Banc, which is stayed pending GEO’s Petition for Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

 

GEO believes it operates the VWP in full compliance with its contract with ICE and all applicable laws, regulations, and standards. GEO strongly disputes the claims made in these lawsuits and intends to take all necessary steps to vigorously defend itself from these lawsuits. GEO has not recorded any accruals relating to these lawsuits, other than in connection with the Nwauzor case discussed above, at this time as losses are not considered probable nor reasonably estimable. If GEO were not to prevail in these cases, it could have an adverse effect on GEO's business and results of operations.

 

Challenges to State Legislation that Conflict with Federal Contracts

 

On July 13, 2023, the Company filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against the State of Washington for declaratory and injunctive relief challenging the State of Washington’s newly enacted law – House Bill 1470. House Bill 1470 purports to empower state agencies with new rule making, inspection, investigation, and testing powers over the Northwest ICE Processing Center. House Bill 1470 also creates a statutory regime of civil penalties applicable to private detention facilities for violations of House Bill 1470 detention standards, and purports to create a private right of action for detainees aggrieved by violations of the statute. On March 8, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington entered an order preliminarily enjoining the enforcement of House Bill 1470 against GEO as the operator of the Northwest ICE Processing Center. On April 29, 2024, the State of Washington filed a Notice of Appeal of the order preliminarily enjoining the enforcement of House Bill 1470. On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard arguments on the State of Washington’s appeal. On May 23, 2025, GEO filed a motion to dismiss the appeal as moot based on a newly enacted statute that amended portions of HB 1470. On August 18, 2025, the Ninth Circuit denied GEO’s motion to dismiss the appeal, vacated the District Court’s grant of a preliminary injunction, and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings. On September 16, 2025, GEO filed a Petition for Rehearing En Banc.

 

On April 15, 2024, the Company filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against the State of New Jersey for declaratory and injunctive relief challenging the State of New Jersey’s Assembly Bill 5207 – that purports to prohibit the operation of "private detention facilities" in the state, which would prevent the United States from using privately contracted detention facilities to house detainees in the custody of ICE. On April 25, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey entered an order preliminarily enjoining the State of New Jersey from enforcing Assembly Bill 5207 against a private detention facility-including any owned by Plaintiff GEO until a further Order of the Court. On July 22, 2025, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a U.S.

District Court for the District of New Jersey decision in a similar case finding Assembly Bill 5207 unconstitutional. On August 22, 2025, the District Court entered an order permanently enjoining the Defendants from enforcing Assembly Bill 5207 against GEO with respect to GEO negotiating or contracting with the United States government to operate immigration detention facilities in New Jersey.

 

 

On October 22, 2024, the Company filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California against the State of California and the Kern County Public Health Department for declaratory and injunctive relief challenging the State of California’s newly enacted law – Senate Bill 1132. Senate Bill 1132 purports to empower state agencies with new inspection and investigation powers over GEO’s California facilities providing contracted services to ICE. Senate Bill 1132 also purports to impose standards prescribed by the Board of State and Community Corrections on GEO’s provision of contracted services to ICE in California. The State of California and Kern County filed a motion to dismiss on December 20, 2024. The U.S. District Court heard arguments on GEO’s motion for declaratory and injunctive relief and the defendants’ motion to dismiss on March 3, 2025. On May 5, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California entered an order finding Senate Bill 1132 does not impose any standards on GEO’s provision of contracted services to ICE and dismissing GEO’s suit with leave to amend.

 

 

Other Litigation

 

The nature of the Company's business also exposes it to various other legal claims or litigation, including, but not limited to, civil rights claims relating to conditions of confinement and/or mistreatment, sexual misconduct claims brought by individuals in its care, medical malpractice claims, claims related to deaths in custody, product liability claims, intellectual property infringement claims, claims relating to employment matters (including, but not limited to, employment discrimination claims, union grievances and wage and hour claims), property loss claims, environmental claims, automobile liability claims, indemnification claims by its customers and other third-parties, contractual claims and claims for personal injury or other damages resulting from contact with the Company's facilities, programs, electronic monitoring products, personnel or detainees, including damages arising from the escape of an individual in its care or from a disturbance or riot at a facility. Legal proceedings with respect to our facilities are unpredictable and, where material, can cause adverse effects, such as prompting modification or even termination of the underlying facility management contracts.

 

 

 

Other Assessment

 

A New Mexico non-income tax audit completed in 2016 included tax periods for which the state tax authority had previously processed a substantial tax refund. At the completion of the audit fieldwork, the Company received a notice of audit findings disallowing deductions that were previously claimed by the Company that was approved by the state tax authority and served as the basis for the approved refund claim. In early January 2017, the Company received a formal Notice of Assessment of Taxes and Demand for Payment from the taxing authority disallowing the deductions. The Company appealed the administrative ruling. In February 2024, the Company received notice that the New Mexico Court of Appeals had ruled against its appeal. The Company appealed this ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court by timely filing a Petition for Writ of Certiorari on April 19, 2024. On July 8, 2024, the New Mexico Supreme Court denied the Company's Petition for Writ of Certiorari. The Company had established an estimated liability (inclusive of both the audit period and the post-audit period) based on its estimate of the most probable loss based on the facts and circumstances known and the advice of outside counsel in connection with this matter. In July 2024, the Company made a payment of approximately $18.9 million towards the estimated liability related to the assessment for the audited period. Following the submission of an application in September 2024, the Company was accepted to participate in the State's managed audit program and entered into a Managed Audit Agreement (the "Agreement") with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department for the post-audit period. The Agreement provides for a waiver of penalties and interest and as such, the Company recorded a favorable adjustment for penalties and interest related to the post-audit period of approximately $6.3 million in the third quarter of 2024. The managed audit is ongoing at this time.

 

Accruals for Legal Proceedings

 

The Company establishes accruals for specific legal proceedings when it is considered probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. However, the results of these claims or proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, and an unfavorable resolution of one or more of these claims or proceedings could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, including the modification or loss of one or more facility management contracts, or could result in a material impairment of the Company’s assets. The Company's accruals for loss contingencies are reviewed quarterly and adjusted as additional information becomes available. The Company generally does not accrue for anticipated legal fees and costs but expenses those items as incurred.

 

 

Contract Developments

 

The Florida Department of Corrections has issued Notices of Intent to Award three managed-only contracts to GEO for the assumption of management and support services at the 985-bed Bay Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility and the 1,884-bed Graceville Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility and for the continuation of management and support services at the 985-bed Moore Haven Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility. The three contracts are expected to have an initial term of three years, effective July 1, 2026, with unlimited two-year renewal option periods.

 

On August 28, 2025, the Company entered into an agreement with another contractor to form an entity to provide management services for the State of Florida at the state-owned 1,310-bed North Florida Detention Facility in Baker County, Florida.

 

For accounting purposes, the Company does not consolidate the entity as it has determined that it shares joint control with the independent third-party contractor and the Company does not have the power to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impacts the entity's performance. As such, the Company's investment in the entity is accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

 

The Company entered into a two-year contract with ICE for the continued provision of electronic monitoring, case management and supervision services under the Intensive Supervision and Appearance Program ("ISAP"). The contract has an initial term of one-year, effective October 1, 2025, with an additional one-year option period.

 

Asset Sales

On August 6, 2025, the Company entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with an unrelated third party to sell its previously idled company-owned 139-bed Hector Garza Center for a sale price of $9.6 million. The sale closed at the end of September and resulted in a gain of approximately $4 million.

On June 3, 2025, the Company entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “Sale Agreement”) with CPT Operating Partnership L.P. (together with GEO, the “Seller”) and the State of Oklahoma (the “Purchaser”) pursuant to which, subject to the terms of the Sale Agreement, the Seller agreed to sell the 2,388-bed Lawton Correctional Facility located in Lawton, Oklahoma (the “Lawton Facility”) to the Purchaser for a sale price of $312 million. The sale resulted in a gain of approximately $228 million. The Sale Agreement also contained certain customary representations, warranties and covenants that the parties made to each other. The sale of the Lawton Facility closed on July 25, 2025 and the Company transitioned facility operations to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections simultaneously on July 25, 2025.

 

Asset Purchase

On July 1, 2025, the Company announced that it had entered into a purchase agreement with SDCC Middle Block, LLC (the “Seller”), an affiliate of Holland Partners Group, to acquire the 770-bed Western Region Detention Facility located in San Diego, California (the “San Diego Facility”) for approximately $60 million. The Company previously leased the San Diego Facility for approximately $5.1 million annually under a lease agreement that was scheduled to expire on March 31, 2029. GEO has a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service for the exclusive use of the San Diego Facility.

The purchase of the San Diego Facility closed on July 31, 2025 and was funded as a like kind real estate property exchange with proceeds from the sale of Lawton Facility, which closed on July 25, 2025 as discussed above, resulting in an estimated capital gains cash tax savings of approximately $9.3 million.

Following the closing of the sale of the Lawton Facility and the purchase of the San Diego Facility, GEO had approximately $222 million in net proceeds. The Company used the net proceeds, along with cash on hand and available liquidity, to pay off senior

secured debt, including approximately $300 million in floating rate debt.

Commitments

The Company currently has contractual commitments for a number of projects using Company financing. The Company’s management estimates that the cost of these existing active capital projects will be approximately $71.8 million of which $45.6 million was spent through the first nine months of 2025. The Company estimates the remaining capital requirements related to these capital projects will be $26.2 million which will be spent through the remainder of 2025.

Uncertain Tax Positions

A tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation, based on the technical merits of the position. As of September 30, 2025, the Company had a total of approximately $42.6 million of unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions. Approximately $38.9 million of this total was generated in the second quarter of 2024 and relates to interest deductions for GEO shares issued to the holders of our 6.5% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2026. There was not a significant increase during the third quarter of 2025. Approximately all of the unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would impact our effective tax rate. The Company does not believe it has any existing tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that it will be required to record significant amounts of unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months.

One Big Beautiful Bill Act

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) was enacted. The OBBBA includes provisions related to the permanent extension of certain expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, modifications to the international tax framework and the restoration of favorable tax treatment for certain business provisions. The OBBBA has multiple effective dates, with certain provisions effective for the year ending December 31, 2025, while others are effective starting after this date. The Company is evaluating the OBBBA enacted during the quarter and estimates its impact on the consolidated financial statements to be immaterial. The Company will continue to evaluate the full impact of these legislative changes as additional guidance becomes available.

 

Idle Facilities

As of September 30, 2025, the Company was marketing (or awaiting activation of) eight idle facilities to potential customers. One of the facilities, Cheyenne Mountain Recovery Center, is under a contract which has yet to be activated. The carrying values of these idle facilities are included in Property and Equipment in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The following table summarizes each of the idled facilities and their respective carrying values, excluding equipment and other assets that can be easily transferred for use at other facilities. There was no indication of impairment related to the Company's idle facilities as of September 30, 2025.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secure
Services

 

 

Reentry
Services

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

Secure
Services

 

 

Reentry
Services

 

 

Net Carrying
Value

 

 

Net Carrying
Value

 

 

Net Carrying
Value

 

Facility

 

Year Idled

 

Design
Capacity (beds)

 

 

Design
Capacity (beds)

 

 

September 30, 2025

 

 

September 30, 2025

 

 

September 30, 2025

 

Rivers Correctional Facility

 

2021

 

 

1,320

 

 

 

 

 

 

36,320

 

 

 

 

 

 

36,320

 

Big Spring Correctional Facility

 

2021

 

 

924

 

 

 

 

 

 

27,041

 

 

 

 

 

 

27,041

 

Flightline Correctional Facility

 

2021

 

 

1,452

 

 

 

 

 

 

32,290

 

 

 

 

 

 

32,290

 

McFarland Female Community
   Reentry Facility

 

2020

 

 

300

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,646

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,646

 

Lea County Correctional Facility

 

2025

 

 

1,200

 

 

 

 

 

 

45,432

 

 

 

 

 

 

45,432

 

Cheyenne Mountain Recovery Center

 

2020

 

 

700

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,561

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,561

 

Philadelphia Residential

 

2024

 

 

 

 

 

400

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,141

 

 

 

6,141

 

Coleman Hall

 

2017

 

 

 

 

 

350

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,627

 

 

 

5,627

 

Total

 

 

 

 

5,896

 

 

 

750

 

 

$

169,290

 

 

$

11,768

 

 

$

181,058

 

 

Lease Revenue

The Company leases nine of its owned facilities to unrelated parties. Six of which have a five year term through June 2027. The carrying value of these leased facilities as of September 30, 2025 is $44.2 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $27.3 million. For the additional three leased facilities, one facility has a term that expires in October 2026. The carrying value of this leased facility as of September 30, 2025 was $2.1 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $1.0 million. One facility has a term of sixty-nine months with one-year renewal options which base term expires in October 2028. The carrying value of this leased facility as of September 30, 2025 was $71.9 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $39.8 million. The remaining facility has a term of twenty years with renewals and expires in October 2041. The carrying value of this leased facility as of September 30, 2025 was $19.7 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $19.2 million. Rental income, included in Revenues, for leased facilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, was approximately $11.3 million and $11.4 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2025, future minimum rentals to be received on these leases are as follows:

 

 

 

Annual Rental

 

Year

 

(in thousands)

 

Remainder of 2025

 

$

3,948

 

2026

 

 

15,829

 

2027

 

 

15,917

 

2028

 

 

14,529

 

2029

 

 

6,956

 

Thereafter

 

 

55,272

 

 Total

 

$

112,451