Private Detention Corporate Accountability Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill lets families sue private companies that run federal detention centers if someone dies in their care while held for alleged immigration, criminal, or civil violations.
• Companies found responsible would owe at least $5 million in statutory damages, plus economic damages and possible punitive damages meant to punish bad behavior.
• Staff at these facilities could no longer claim qualified or absolute immunity to avoid being held personally responsible in court, a defense that currently makes such lawsuits very difficult to win.
• The detention company itself, not just individual employees, would be held financially responsible for deaths caused by its staff, making it easier for families to recover damages from a corporation with resources.
• The rule applies broadly to any private entity under federal contract to hold people accused of civil, criminal, or immigration violations, covering most privately operated federal detention facilities.