TB Outbreak at Colorado ICE Jail: 12 Cases, No AC
Twelve detainees at a federal immigration jail in Aurora, Colorado tested positive for tuberculosis after mass testing of one housing pod over the weekend. The air conditioning broke the next day — during a heat advisory with outside temperatures hitting 96°F. Neither ICE nor the private company running the facility responded to questions about the outbreak.
All 88 people in one pod at the GEO Group's Aurora ICE Processing Center were tested on Saturday. Twelve came back positive — up from a single confirmed case just three days earlier, according to a detainee inside the facility who spoke to the Guardian by phone. Instead of separating the sick from the healthy, guards kept the entire group together and placed everyone under quarantine for at least a week.
No AC, No Answers
The air conditioning in the pod broke down on Sunday. Staff handed out electric fans. By Monday afternoon, Aurora was under a heat advisory. Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial infection — in its active form, it spreads through the air and can be fatal without treatment. The detainee, a Mexican man in his 30s who has been held at the facility since December, said conditions were "uncomfortable" but that some detainees were receiving medication twice a day. His partner, a US citizen in south Florida, told the Guardian: "I don't know why a multimillion dollar corporation can't get an air conditioning technician out there."
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The GEO Group, which operates the Aurora facility under a government contract, states on its website that it provides "around-the-clock access to medical care" and that health care staffing at the facility is "more than double that of many states' correctional facilities." The company did not respond to a request for comment. The Department of Homeland Security also did not respond. The facility has a published capacity of 1,532 and housed 1,249 detainees as recently as March 2026.
This is not the first health crisis at Aurora. A similar TB outbreak was reported at the facility in April of last year, according to a lawsuit filed by Democratic lawmakers seeking more transparency from the Trump administration about deaths and disease in federal detention. Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat who represents Aurora, has conducted oversight visits to the facility more than 90 times since 2019. He said in a statement: "For-profit prisons have perpetuated ICE's lawlessness and endangered our communities." Last month, New Jersey's attorney general sued GEO Group to force state health officials into the company's Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark over similar concerns about medical care.
What to Do
- If your family member is detained at Aurora or any ICE facility and you believe they have symptoms of tuberculosis — fever, cough, night sweats, weight loss — contact their immigration attorney immediately and ask them to file an emergency medical request with ICE.
- Detainees have the right to request medical care in writing. Lawyers recommend putting every medical request in writing and keeping a record of dates and responses.
- Family members can call the ICE detainee locator (1-888-351-4024) to confirm where a person is held, then contact a local immigration legal aid organization to report health concerns.
- If you believe conditions at a detention facility violate basic standards, contact your congressional representative's office — they have oversight authority and can make formal inquiries to ICE on your behalf.
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Detainees in ICE custody have a constitutional right to adequate medical care under the Fifth Amendment — deliberate indifference to a serious medical condition like active tuberculosis can form the basis of a civil rights claim. If a detained person is symptomatic and not receiving treatment, their attorney can file an emergency motion in federal district court seeking a medical evaluation order. Families should also document all communications with the facility in writing. Consult an immigration attorney experienced in detention conditions as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a detainee be released from ICE custody because of a medical emergency like tuberculosis?
Yes, it is possible. An immigration attorney can file a request for humanitarian release or ask an immigration judge to lower the bond amount based on serious medical conditions. Federal courts can also order release in extreme cases. There is no guarantee, but documented medical need strengthens the argument.
What rights do ICE detainees have when it comes to medical care?
ICE detainees have the right to receive medical care for serious conditions. They can request care verbally or in writing. If requests are ignored, an attorney can escalate the issue to ICE's Office of Detention Oversight or file a complaint with the DHS Office of Inspector General.
Can tuberculosis affect someone's immigration case or green card application?
Yes. Active tuberculosis is a medical ground of inadmissibility under US immigration law. However, it is a treatable condition, and a completed course of treatment can resolve the issue. An immigration medical exam (Form I-693) performed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon will assess this. Lawyers recommend addressing any TB diagnosis with a doctor before filing a green card application.
How can I find out if a family member is detained at the Aurora ICE facility?
Use the ICE online detainee locator at locator.ice.gov or call 1-888-351-4024. You will need the person's full name, country of birth, and date of birth. If you cannot locate them, contact a local immigration legal aid organization for help.