U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has quietly awarded a lucrative contract to Constellis Holdings, the successor company of notorious mercenary firm Blackwater, to track down over 1.5 million targeted immigrants across the country.
Under the deal, Constellis will receive $1.5 million in payments, with the potential for an additional $113 million by the contract's end in 2027. The task is known as "skip tracing," and involves using physical and digital surveillance tools to locate specific immigrants and report their whereabouts back to ICE.
The company, formed through the merger of Academi (formerly Blackwater) and Triple Canopy in 2014, has a long history of providing security services for foreign military installations, embassies, and domestic properties. Its past experience includes verifying details about an individual's private life, including their internet activity.
While Constellis claims to have no ties to the founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020 for his role in a massacre of civilians in Iraq, the company's involvement in this contract raises concerns about the potential for abuse and the use of private security forces to enforce immigration policies.
The deal is part of a larger effort by ICE to outsource its enforcement efforts, including the hiring of bounty hunters who will not be identified as agents of the Department of Homeland Security. Domestic work could provide a significant revenue boost for Constellis, which has seen revenues decline in recent years due to reduced demand for security services.
This contract is the latest example of how private contractors are being used to enforce immigration policies, and raises questions about accountability and transparency in these efforts.
Under the deal, Constellis will receive $1.5 million in payments, with the potential for an additional $113 million by the contract's end in 2027. The task is known as "skip tracing," and involves using physical and digital surveillance tools to locate specific immigrants and report their whereabouts back to ICE.
The company, formed through the merger of Academi (formerly Blackwater) and Triple Canopy in 2014, has a long history of providing security services for foreign military installations, embassies, and domestic properties. Its past experience includes verifying details about an individual's private life, including their internet activity.
While Constellis claims to have no ties to the founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020 for his role in a massacre of civilians in Iraq, the company's involvement in this contract raises concerns about the potential for abuse and the use of private security forces to enforce immigration policies.
The deal is part of a larger effort by ICE to outsource its enforcement efforts, including the hiring of bounty hunters who will not be identified as agents of the Department of Homeland Security. Domestic work could provide a significant revenue boost for Constellis, which has seen revenues decline in recent years due to reduced demand for security services.
This contract is the latest example of how private contractors are being used to enforce immigration policies, and raises questions about accountability and transparency in these efforts.
like who gives a contract to Constellis? didn't they learn from Blackwater's bad rep? 
they're just gonna use those tactics on innocent ppl now? i'm literally shaking thinking about it... what if they're tracking ppl w/ disabilities or kids? that's just messed up. we need more transparency, not less 
this is exactly why ppl are so mad about ICE and their deportation policies... private contractors like Constellis just make everything worse 
this is so concerning the idea that a company with a history of doing shady stuff like blackwater gets a contract to track down people in their own country its like theyre using mercenaries to enforce immigration laws who gets held accountable if something goes wrong at least theyre getting paid 
113 million sounds like a lotta cash but i guess youre willing to risk peoples lives for that kinda cash
just thinkin' about this contract... it's like they're outsrcin' the job to some mercenary firm 
thinkin' 'bout them 1.5 million immigrants... how many are gonna get hurt or deported cuz of this contract? 
also, what's the real reason they're goin' after these folks? is it just about enforcement or is there somethin' more sinister at play? 
, newsflash: we all got lives & fam! what's next? them coming after ppl 4 not votin or somethin? 
this is wht happens wen u privatize everything & it's just a bunch of profiteers makin cash off vulnerable ppl... they shd b worried bout gettin caught up in some serious controversy