TB Outbreak at Colorado ICE Detention Center Leaves 12 Sick, Dozens in Quarantine

TB Outbreak Strikes Colorado ICE Detention Facility

At least a dozen people held at a federal immigration detention center in Aurora, Colorado, have tested positive for tuberculosis in recent days, according to firsthand accounts from inside the facility. Dozens of additional detainees have reportedly been placed under quarantine as health concerns continue to mount at the troubled institution.

Conditions Inside: No AC, No Separation of Sick and Healthy

A detained Mexican man in his 30s — whose name is being withheld due to fears of retaliation — shared details of the situation through his partner via telephone. He has been held at the Aurora ICE Processing Center since December and described conditions as deeply troubling.

According to his account, all 88 individuals within his housing pod underwent tuberculosis testing on Saturday. Twelve came back positive — a sharp rise from just one confirmed case three days prior. Rather than isolating those who tested positive from healthy detainees, guards reportedly kept the entire group together and imposed a quarantine of at least one week on everyone in the pod.

Compounding the health crisis, the pod's air conditioning system reportedly failed on Sunday. Staff handed out electric fans as a temporary fix, but on Monday afternoon, Aurora was under an active heat advisory with outdoor temperatures reaching 96°F (36°C). The detainee described the environment as "uncomfortable," though he noted that some individuals appeared to be receiving medication during morning and afternoon rounds.

Federal Agencies and Private Operator Remain Silent

Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the GEO Group — the Florida-based private corporation contracted to operate the facility on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — responded to requests for comment or confirmation of the outbreak.

The Aurora ICE Processing Center has a published capacity of 1,532 detainees and housed 1,249 individuals as recently as March. It remains unclear whether other housing pods at the facility have been tested or whether additional positive cases have been identified beyond the 12 already reported.

Family Members Express Fear Over Severity of TB

The long-term partner of the infected detainee — a U.S. citizen living in south Florida — expressed serious concern about the unfolding situation. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that, in its active form, spreads through the air and can be life-threatening if left untreated.

"I don't know if they understand the severity of what TB is," the partner said. "He has some underlying health conditions, which makes this even more worrying. The first day, he was very scared."

The partner also questioned why the air conditioning had not been repaired more quickly. "I manage restaurants — if we lose AC, we get it fixed within 24 to 48 hours. I don't understand why a multimillion-dollar corporation can't send out a technician."

A Pattern of Health Failures at Aurora

This latest outbreak is not an isolated incident. Court documents from a lawsuit filed by Democratic lawmakers seeking greater transparency from the Trump administration over deaths and illnesses in federal detention facilities reveal that a similar TB outbreak apparently occurred at the same Aurora facility in April of last year.

Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat who represents Aurora and is a plaintiff in that lawsuit, has been tracking conditions at the facility for years. His office reports that he or his staff have conducted more than 90 oversight visits since 2019 — though there have been multiple documented instances in which he was denied entry.

"For-profit prisons have perpetuated ICE's lawlessness and endangered our communities," Crow said in a statement. "I've led the charge to end this broken and inhumane system. Until we do, I'll continue to conduct oversight to hold ICE accountable."

GEO Group Faces Scrutiny Nationally

The GEO Group, which has documented ties to members of the Trump administration, has faced legal challenges at multiple facilities it operates across the country. Last month, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport filed suit against the company in an attempt to compel access for state health officials to the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark.

Detainees at that facility launched a hunger strike over visitation restrictions, deteriorating conditions, and inadequate medical care. Violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement erupted outside the center.

On its website, GEO Group maintains that it provides "around-the-clock access to medical care" at its Aurora facility and claims its healthcare staffing levels exceed those of many state correctional systems. Critics and lawmakers, however, continue to question whether those standards are being met in practice.