Audience Defiance and the Business of Borders
THE ACTORS: Who is involved in this story? The immediate actors are the wrestling fans themselves, channeling their discontent into a collective cry against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Wrestler Brody King amplified this sentiment, openly criticizing ICE. However, the less visible, yet more powerful, actors are the private corporations operating detention facilities and providing
services to ICE. These include, but are not limited to, The GEO Group and CoreCivic, two of the largest private prison and detention center operators in the U.S. Government officials, particularly those within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE, also play a critical role in shaping the demand for these services. THE FUNDING: Where does their money come from? ICE's budget is derived
from taxpayer funds, allocated by Congress. In fiscal year 2020, ICE's budget was approximately $8 billion (DHS, 2020). A significant portion of these funds is directed toward detention and removal operations, which often translates into contracts with private companies. For instance, in 2019, CoreCivic and GEO Group alone received over $1.7 billion collectively from federal contracts, primarily
for immigration detention (In the Public Interest, 2019). These companies then lobby extensively to maintain and expand these contracts. THE INCENTIVES: What do they gain from this narrative? For the protesting audience, the incentive is to express moral outrage and advocate for policy change. For elected officials and agency heads, the narrative often centers on national security and border