On Leap Day, Texas protesters to tell Wells Fargo to leap out of private prison investments

"On this Leap Day, a coalition of immigrant rights, human rights, faith, and student organizations will hold a protest at Wells Fargo on 24th and Guadalupe in Austin in conjunction with a statewide day of action calling on Wells Fargo to divest its holdings in the for-profit private prison industry.  The private prison industry profits greatly from the detention of immigrants.  More than 33,000 immigrants are detained every day in the United States, destroying families and costing taxpayers more than $1.7 billion this year.

According to SEC filings, Wells Fargo currently holds over 4 million shares in GEO Group and 50,000 shares in Corrections Corporation of America, with a combined value of $120 million.  GEO and CCA are the world’s two largest private prison corporations. Wells Fargo, a recipient of billions of bailout dollars, is a major contributor to politicians who have championed the increased incarceration of immigrants. The protest will call on Wells Fargo to invest in our communities and divest from the private prison industry."

The Austin protest is part of a state-wide day of action that includes protests by Students United for the Dream Act in San Antonio and a protest of the 287(g) immigration enforcement program and the private prison industry in Houston.   Here is a list of times and locations:

Austin: 3:30-4:30pm, Wells Fargo, Guadalupe & 24th

San Antonio: 3:00-5:00pm 423 N New Braunfels Ave. 78202

Houston: 12:00-1:00pm Wells Fargo, Louisiana & Lamar St

An event is also being organized in Dallas later in the week, I'm told.  The protests are part of a national prison divesment campaign launched last year.  We'll post some pictures of the protests later in the week.