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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — About 62,000 people who were held at an Aurora immigration detention center and required to work for as little as $1 a day have joined together in a class-action lawsuit.
The Denver Post reported Thursday (http://dpo.st/2lHzlI7 ) that that the detainees have been certified as a class in their lawsuit alleging violations of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
The lawsuit accuses GEO Group, the operator of the 1,500-bed Aurora Detention Facility, of forcing detainees to work as they awaited possible deportation. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act makes forced labor and slavery illegal, among other things.
A GEO spokesman says its work program is voluntary and complies with Immigration and Customs Enforcement guidelines.
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
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