There were no job seekers or protesters on Wednesday morning outside the Hoffmeister Center, where the GEO Group planned to host a job fair.
Instead, a sign taped to the door of the building run by the Central Presbyterian Church announced: “SORRY, THE JOB FAIR WAS CANCELED.”
The cancellation followed a wave of backlash after it was revealed that the GEO Group, one of the largest contractors for private prisons and immigration detention centers in the country, scheduled a recruitment event in Merced.
The GEO Group’s local office and media team did not respond to multiple requests for comment about why the job fair was canceled or whether it will be rescheduled.
Daniel Garibay, who planned to protest the event, said the cancellation was a meaningful step for the community.
“Our strategy has always been to educate the public about GEO’s role in managing detention centers and private prisons, and to push for them to end these harmful practices,” he said. “We aim to replace their involvement with community-led organizations that can provide re-entry programs without perpetuating systems of incarceration.”
A sign advertising the GEO Group, previously posted outside its office in the 3300 block of M Street, was also no longer visible as of Wednesday.
In an email sent to organizers and shared with The FOCUS, Central Presbyterian Church Interim Pastor Zachary Pitcher said the church was unaware of GEO’s ties to immigration detention when it booked the event.
“Could you please let your network know that the event is cancelled and there is no need to come and protest on Wednesday,” Pitcher wrote. “We were not aware of Geo’s connections to detention facilities when we scheduled the event. Please also thank (protesters) for their work of uncovering information about corporations.”
While GEO does not operate detention centers in Merced County, the Aug. 13 job fair drew immediate concern from immigrant advocates, who criticized the company’s national track record and local partnerships.
GEO currently contracts with the Merced County Probation Department to operate a Day Reporting Center, providing reentry services for formerly incarcerated people.
Merced County spent about $4.6 million on its contract with the GEO Group from 2018 to 2024 for the adult Day Reporting Center connected to its probation department, according to county records.
Critics argue that GEO’s reentry programs cannot be separated from its broader business model, which heavily relies on immigration detention.
In 2023, about 43% of the company’s revenue came from immigration-related contracts, according to its annual report.
“The Healing Generation Center (with the Youth Leadership Institute) supports re-entry work and stands ready to take on this work in partnership with other local organizations,” Garibay said. “Our community deserves re-entry solutions rooted in justice, dignity, and healing — not incarceration.”
A job listing page reviewed by The FOCUS showed only four positions available in Merced tied to the GEO re-entry program, including case managers and youth monitors.
Garibay emphasized that the protest was not to stop jobs in Merced.
“Our intention was never to prevent community members from accessing employment opportunities,” he said. “We fully support re-entry programs and believe they are vital.”
However, he argued the jobs being offered existed only because GEO profits from incarceration.
“The positions offered at this fair were tied to programs that exist only because GEO continues to profit from both private prisons and detention centers,” Garibay said.
Five people were present, Garibay said, not to protest but to hand out information for another job fair in October.
“We only saw three people show up for the job fair,” he said.
