Sludge is an investigative journalism outlet that tracks the hidden forces shaping U.S. policy and money flows. On January 16, 2026, Sludge published “The Companies Behind ICE,” an interactive report that maps every company contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the second Trump administration. The report reveals how immigration enforcement has been outsourced to hundreds of private firms across the country.
Because ICE’s budget and contractor obligations have grown rapidly, the interactive map uses federal spending data from USAspending.gov to show which firms have new or expanded contracts with ICE and the services they provide. Companies listed include service providers, supply contractors, security and facility operators, and other entities that profit directly from enforcement and detention infrastructure.
The article also highlights how this corporate network is not static. Organizations and communities reacting to the report include groups pushing companies to end those contracts. For example, the Hudson River Park Trust announced it will end its longstanding ICE contract after the investigation was published.
Because private profit and public enforcement are so tightly linked in this context, the article and its interactive map can be used by activists, researchers, and local organizers to target campaigns, call for boycotts, and pressure corporations to cut ties with ICE. It provides not just company names but the ability to search by state and contract type, making resistance strategy more grounded in data.
Extra Links & How to Engage
The primary interactive contractor map is embedded in the Sludge article and is powered by federal procurement data. People can explore this map to find contractor names, locations, and contract amounts. Sludge also invites readers to subscribe or sign up for free access to investigative reports and newsletters to stay informed about updates or similar investigations. Sludge’s social platforms — including X, Facebook, and Bluesky links on the article page — help amplify each report’s reach.
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Interactive Map & Report — embedded via Sludge’s “The Companies Behind ICE” article
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Subscribe / Newsletter — embedded sign-up on Sludge homepage
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Social Amplification — X, Facebook, Bluesky (linked from article)