Kim Kardashian Gets Special Shout-Out From Senator Cory Booker

Kim Kardashian’s support of incarcerated firefighters earned her a shout-out from New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. 

Kim Kardashian supports paying prison inmates a fair wage

On Friday, the reality star took to social media to recognize inmates who volunteer to fight wildfires, often for as little as $10 per day.

“A while back I visited incarcerated firefighters and it really stayed with me,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum wrote on her Instagram Story. “These are people putting their lives on the line to fight wildfires and protect our communities. What stood out most to me: Many of them are paid as little as $1 an hour for that work.”

“These programs are powerful,” she continued. “They teach real skills, create purpose, and help people come home ready to succeed. We rely on them in moments of crisis, yet they’re paid pennies for their work.”

Kardashian went on to throw her support behind the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers act, which is sponsored by Booker, along with Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and Emmanuel Cleaver (MO-5). The bill would guarantee that inmate workers are paid at least minimum wage, put a stop to excessive deductions, and recognize that inmate workers are workers under the law.

“People who risk their lives to protect us deserve dignity and fair pay,” Kardashian wrote. 

Senator Cory Booker wants to reform the way prisoners are paid for their work

“Thank you @kimkardashian for using your voice to speak up for our legislation to end this continued injustice,” Booker wrote on repost of Kardashian’s Instagram Story.

Booker’s bill – which was first introduced in 2023 – aims to end the practice of paying inmates a pittance for their labor. In addition to fighting fires, inmates sometimes engage in work that directly or indirectly involves the supply chains of major companies, including McDonald’s, Aldi, Cargill, and Coca-Cola, according to the Associated Press. It’s a practice that Kamlager-Dove likened to a “a modern-day form of slavery.”

Paying inmates a fair wage would improve their chances for success when they are released and make it easier for them to pay restitution that they owe, Booker argues. 

“It is time to end the exploitative practices in correctional facilities and ensure incarcerated workers are treated with dignity and paid minimum wage for their labor,” he said. “Too often, incarcerated people are never able to pay restitution to their victims, or save enough money to ensure a successful reentry, resulting in a never-ending cycle of recidivism.”

“Incarcerated people may be serving sentences, but they’re still human beings,” Kardashian said in a statement. “If we expect people to work and contribute, we should also give them the opportunity to earn fair pay … I personally watched incarcerated people who risked their lives battling the massive wildfires in Los Angeles last year. They showed so much bravery and commitment doing the same dangerous work as professional firefighters but they were paid just a few dollars a day. In many cases, they’re banned from even applying for firefighting jobs once they’re released. That’s not just unfair, it’s un-American.”

This is not the first time Kardashian has advocated for criminal justice reform, spotlighting cases of wrongful convictions and supporting reduced sentences for non-violent offenders. She was also a prominent supporter of the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill signed by President Trump in his first term.

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