DE-ICE Citizens Bank- A Victory

Rachel Maddow has a great summary of our successful campaign! Give yourself a treat and watch this!

JULY 17-Citizens Bank begins to back down

Statement from the De-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition – July 17, 2026

Media Contact: Peyton Fleming, peytonfleming22@gmail.com, 857-361-2884 

Citizens Bank to end current financing of CoreCivic and The GEO Group

Today’s announcement that Citizens Bank will exit its current lending relationships with private prison giants CoreCivic and The GEO Group is an important victory for the people who refused to let a major bank finance human suffering brought on by ICE detention activities of the current federal administration.

While Citizens Bank frames this exit as a purely “business decision” dictated by evolving commercial circumstances, the reality is clear: public conscience and community resistance matter and have paid off. As we have said from the beginning, doing some good does not cancel out the harm caused by these business relationships.

We still have questions and our campaign will continue.

From the beginning, our campaign has called for Citizens to terminate any and all banking relationships – and future relationships – with Core Civic and GEO Group, as well as any other private prison companies, consistent with their peers who have already done so. 

We still need assurances in writing in the next 10 days that Citizens Bank is terminating any and all banking relationships – as well as future relationships – with CoreCivic and GEO Group consistent with its peers who have already done so.

We emphasize this point because of the bank’s disappointing reference to a federal executive order saying they are obligated to continue banking with any and all customers irrespective of reputational risks and First Amendment rights.

The executive order the bank refers to does not have the force of law. It has not been promulgated by Congress and is in direct contradiction of US Supreme Court precedent.  

Individuals and municipalities such as Jersey City, NJ and Montclair, NJ have recognized the harmful role Citizens Bank is playing in facilitating the private prison industry and have terminated their relationships with Citizens accordingly, having agreed to date to withdraw deposits totaling more than $350 million. 

More customers are continuing to consider terminating their relationships with Citizens Bank. Until we get all questions answered, we expect this will continue as customers align their personal values with banks they do business with. 

At your standouts, some messages to emphasize:

• Citizens has ended financing of CoreCivic and GEO!  Celebrate that victory!
• ICE is still harming communities–the fundraising for front line mutual aid groups is incredibly important.  The message and donation links are here.
• Citizens has not yet made a public statement to end all banking relationships with the private prison industry as have other major banks, so people may still consider finding a bank that aligns with their values.

Read the news coverage below:

Why Protest Citizen’s Bank?

To accommodate the planned increase in immigration detention capacity to at least 100,000 beds, notorious private prison giants CoreCivic and The GEO Group have undertaken construction and renovation projects. These projects require significant capital, but most of their lenders have already cut ties with the two companies.

Citizens Bank has instead deepened its financial ties to CoreCivic and The GEO Group, while continuing to tell its customers that it’s “committed to strengthening our communities.”

The following SEC filings demonstrate a relationship between Citizens Bank and GEO Group/CoreCivic. They don’t represent the full extent of these relationships.

• July 14, 2025 Amendment to Credit Agreement (GEO Group)
• March 2024 Underwriting Agreement (CoreCivic)

CoreCivic and The GEO Group have faced a mountain of allegations including forced labor, wrongful deaths due to understaffing and medical neglect, securities fraud, and more.​ Now they are helping the administration enact immigration policies that are hurting families and endangering our fundamental rights to due process and freedom of speech.

I’m Ready to Take Action!