Colorado Health Department Faces Obstacles in Tuberculosis Investigation at ICE Facility
Colorado public health officials are facing significant challenges in their attempt to investigate a case of tuberculosis at an immigration detention center in Aurora. The facility’s private operator, GEO Group, has reportedly failed to provide essential information and access for medical personnel, complicating efforts to assess potential exposure among detainees.
Hope Shuler, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), indicated in an email that the department has yet to gain entry to the facility or obtain critical information necessary for identifying individuals who may have been exposed. The department has made multiple requests for cooperation from the facility’s leadership, including written inquiries, but has not received a response. CDPHE expressed its readiness to work collaboratively to complete the investigation.
While GEO Group’s attorneys assert that there are no confirmed or suspected cases of tuberculosis within the detention center, Shuler emphasized that without conducting a thorough public health contact investigation, CDPHE and the Adams County Health Department cannot independently verify these claims. It is crucial to undertake a complete investigation, as there is a possibility that a recently infected individual could initially test negative.
Under Colorado law, public health agencies are mandated to investigate confirmed tuberculosis cases. Local health officials were alerted to one laboratory-confirmed case and, on June 25, issued a public health order requiring GEO Group to comply. CDPHE set a deadline of July 17 for the company to provide necessary information and access, but there was no response.
Concern is mounting among immigrant advocacy groups, who suspect that more than one case of tuberculosis may be present at the facility. An anonymous source held at the center mentioned to the Guardian that at least 12 detainees had tested positive for the disease.
On July 15, representatives from the offices of U.S. Representative Jason Crow and Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper visited the detention center. During their visit, they learned that ICE maintains the authority to deny local officials access to the facility, as it operates as a federal site. In response to the situation, Hickenlooper’s office has initiated a formal inquiry with the Department of Homeland Security.
During the site visit, GEO and ICE officials informed lawmakers that there were no active tuberculosis cases reported at the facility, with one individual under monitoring. Communication to Crow’s office on July 17 suggested that GEO had conducted its own investigation, identifying 61 individuals associated with the initial case and placing them in a “prevention cohort.” Reports also highlighted incredibly high temperatures within the facility, corroborating concerns from advocates about inadequate air conditioning during a heatwave, with local temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
In response to the ongoing concerns, Representative Crow stated, “ICE is out of control and must be reined in. When our immigration detention system operates under corporate interests, it results in companies like GEO Group compromising health care and safety for profit.” Meanwhile, an anonymous ICE spokesperson maintained that the facility adheres to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines governing infectious diseases.
