The statements below correct numerous mischaracterizations of GardaWorld Federal Services (GWFS) in connection with its work providing migrant and humanitarian sheltering and care services. Media inquiries may be directed to [email protected].

 

1. FACT: GWFS did not provide migrant transportation services to the state of Florida, fly migrants to other states, or transport migrants to the City of Chicago. GWFS has not provided interstate relocation or deportation services of vulnerable populations, ever. The transport of migrants into Chicago from the southern border has been falsely attributed to GWFS and the transport of migrants out of Florida is also falsely attributed to GWFS. GWFS took no part in transporting migrants into Chicago from the southern border nor out of Florida. 

 

GWFS was awarded a contract in Florida, along with two other companies, to provide transportation services, and that award was made public. After initial discussions with the Florida Department of Emergency Management defining the specific services to be performed, GWFS did not provide the requested transportation services.

 

2. FACT: A Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report was issued in September 2022 (Report No. OEI-07-21-00251) regarding a migrant care site located at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. That report does not mention GWFS nor does it comment on or criticize any services provided or actions taken by the company.

 

The Fort Bliss site was chosen by the U.S. government and built by an existing HHS contractor selected by HHS and was not constructed by GWFS or any of its related companies. References to the HHS OIG report have suggested that abuses took place and that the site suffered from “dangerous conditions.”

GWFS’s primary role at the facility was to provide medical care for unaccompanied children waiting to be reunited with their families. Our work at this site was continually monitored by the federal government and the company received consistently positive reviews of its work caring for the children at the facility. GWFS was not responsible for case management, security, or any services at the Fort Bliss facility that are referenced in the HHS OIG report. 

The HHS OIG report on this site largely notes the challenges encountered with the mass influx of unaccompanied children starting in 2021, the case management for the children once they arrived on the site, and the timely entry of data into the government’s case management system. There were five recommendations made by the Inspector General, none of which directly involved services provided by GWFS. The term “dangerous conditions” does not appear anywhere in the report.

 

3. FACT: GWFS does not provide migrant “detention” services, and no “human rights violations” have occurred at any of our migrant care facilities. 

 

For its migrant care facilities, GWFS provides sheltering and humanitarian services. The company is not authorized and does not have the capability to engage in any form of “detention” of migrants. By design, migrant care facilities typically involve routine voluntary entry and exit for their occupants as they seek to integrate into the community. Any security presence on a site is designed to monitor the site to ensure the safety of the occupants, staff, and the surrounding community.

 

4. FACT: A potential contract with City of Denver to provide migrant housing and care was not halted due to “dire conditions at immigration detention centers built by GWFS.”  GWFS does not provide migrant detention services. With regards to the City of Denver, city officials needed assistance in housing and caring for increasing numbers of migrants and wished to move to congregate housing rather than relying on numerous separate locations across the city, such as hotels, which were extremely expensive. The mayor noted publicly that the GWFS contract “was intended to alleviate the current staffing pressures on city operations and to provide a more financially feasible strategy” and that “the current financial and operational burden is not sustainable.”

 

The mayor’s plan was criticized by a number of local organizations that were, at the time, providing services that would have been shifted to GWFS under the new contract. Chief among those criticisms was the claim that GWFS was transporting migrants out of the State of Florida, which is not true. Shortly after a new mayor took office, in deference to those organizations, he elected to continue using incumbent contractors at a higher cost to the city. Ultimately, according to public reports, the City of Denver elected to transport migrants to other cities to address this burden.

 

5. FACT: GWFS is more than a “security company” and is staffed with experienced, highly trained personnel who have the necessary skills to manage the needs of migrants and vulnerable populations. 

 

GWFS professionals come from a variety of backgrounds, and staff is tailored based on the work to be performed. The company’s goal is to provide the best-qualified, best-trained personnel, sourced to the maximum extent possible in the local area in which the company is operating. Past GWFS roles in migrant and vulnerable population care services have included physicians, nurses, paramedics, case managers, behavioral health specialists, records administrators, intake and screening specialists, pharmacists, logisticians, housekeepers, food service workers, facilities maintenance workers, translators, construction trade workers, and security personnel. The GWFS team brings a wealth of experience and diverse backgrounds to ensure that performance at the highest levels.

 

6. FACT: GWFS has long-running experience in providing care for migrant populations.

 

In the United States, GWFS has supported migrant and vulnerable populations with critical services for over 20 years, including in New Mexico, New York, Texas and Virginia. Services provided by GWFS currently encompass centralized housing, meals, and basic medical services, among other support requirements. 

 

7. FACT: GardaWorld has long-standing ties to the city of Chicago. 

 

GardaWorld has significant roots in Illinois, and Chicagoland in particular. Currently, more than 1,200 GardaWorld employees call Illinois home and more than 500 are working in the Chicago area.

 

8. FACT: GWFS follows applicable local, national, and international standards in the course of conducting its work. 

 

GWFS adheres to a strict code of ethics across all our operations, anchored in the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and mandates regular employee training. We follow industry-standard processes to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. And we are audited regularly by local, state, and federal authorities to ensure we are living up to the high standards we have set.

 

For our operations in Chicago, we will follow the City’s shelter operation procedures as outlined in their New Arrivals Shelters – Standard Operating Guide. In addition, we bring decades of experience in operating shelters and providing basic shelter services, and therefore have direct and intimate knowledge of best practices that may be adopted. This experience is also informed by our familiarity with existing U.S. and international standards such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency Shelter Field Guide, the American Red Cross Sheltering Handbook, and the United Nations Refugee Agency Handbook for Emergencies.

 

This knowledge and experience will be further complemented by an internal quality control system that will assess our operations and identify where corrections or improvements are needed. We also fully expect that the City will engage in its own independent review of our operations to ensure that we are meeting expectations and following our contract requirements.