Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Withdraws from Controversial ICE Contract

Fri Dec 19 2025 16:06:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Amid a backlash, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has ended a nearly $30 million contract for designing immigrant detention centers, introducing questions about tribal values and economic interests.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has publicly renounced a federal contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement worth nearly $30 million for designing immigrant detention centers. Facing widespread criticism for the deal, especially given the historical context of forced displacement of Native Americans, tribal leaders decided to sever ties with the contract. This decision reflects ongoing concerns about the ethical implications of tribal involvement in federal detention policies. Tribal Chairman Joseph Rupnick emphasized the importance of aligning economic interests with tribal values moving forward.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has walked away from a nearly $30 million federal contract to design immigrant detention centers following a significant wave of online criticism. The decision, announced late Wednesday, comes on the heels of the termination of economic development leaders who initially brokered the deal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid backlash regarding the implications of such partnership.

The tribe faced confrontation from activists and Native Americans, as many questioned the morality behind participating in a contract linked to an administration known for harsh immigration policies and mass deportation efforts. Some decried the arrangement as 'distasteful' given the tribe’s historical context of forced relocation and confinement.

In a video address, Tribal Chairman Joseph Rupnick acknowledged these concerns, recalling that reservations were often the government's first attempts at detention centers. He confirmed in a subsequent update that the tribe had successfully exited all affiliations related to ICE.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation boasts a diverse portfolio of businesses, but officials plan to convene in January to discuss the need for a balance between economic opportunities and ethical values in future dealings.