Van Hollen Statement on Biden Executive Order Eliminating DOJ Use of Private Prisons

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding President Biden’s executive order eliminating the use of private prisons by the Department of Justice. Senator Van Hollen, alongside Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), pushed for this action, following the Trump Administration’s reinstatement of this practice. 

“Profiting off of the mass incarceration of Americans is nothing short of shameful, but private prison companies do just that. We know that the use of these companies leads to increased incarceration rates and exacerbates the broken cycle of criminal justice in our country. Eliminating private prison use at the Department of Justice is a crucial first step to addressing and dismantling the prison-industrial complex that plagues our nation. I’m glad to see President Biden abandon this practice – after having called on the Trump Administration to do so – and I look forward to working together to establish a criminal justice system that is truly just.”