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.