Full Breakdown
Senator Hickenlooper Confronts GEO Group Over TB Investigation
8/20/2026, 11:55:54 AM
State Health Orders vs. Federal Authority
A state public-health order issued last week required the GEO Group, which operates the Aurora immigration detention facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to provide information about a tuberculosis (TB) investigation. The order gave GEO until midnight on Monday to comply. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment officials said the company had not yet supplied the required data. GEO and ICE officials argue that local inspections infringe on federal authority and have sued in federal court to block a newly passed state law that expands local inspection powers.
Key Facts and Figures
- June 21 – A testing laboratory notified the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment of a positive TB test for a person detained at the GEO facility.
- GEO and ICE officials state that no additional cases have been identified and that they have conducted their own contact-tracing investigation, though they have not shared details with state or local health officials.
- State and local health departments maintain that they must be able to inspect and investigate the facility to protect both detainees and the surrounding community.
- Volunteers from Casa de Paz were observed distributing food and toys to families waiting outside the detention center.
Official Statements & Responses
Senator John Hickenlooper said he was repeatedly stonewalled when he asked GEO representatives about testing, investigation methods, and the whereabouts of exposed individuals. He noted that the facility’s representatives declined to comment on whether they would comply with the order. Hickenlooper warned that the lack of cooperation could allow silent TB spread beyond the facility, affecting detainees, staff, and the broader public. State health officials emphasized the need for transparent inspections, while GEO and ICE maintain that federal jurisdiction precludes local oversight.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The answers they gave were, ‘We’re not going to release any information on the advice of counsel,’” — S. Sen. John Hickenlooper
- “I’ve never in my life seen a time where a direct order from the county public health authority or a direct order from the state office of public health is ignored,” — S. Sen. John Hickenlooper
- “That they say, ‘No, we’re not required to do that and the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is going to be OK with that.’” — S. Sen. John Hickenlooper
- “Every time you’re in a place like this, you realize what a horrendous thing it is to have so many people confined to such a small space,” — S. Sen. John Hickenlooper
- “Every county public health official around the country is going to be a little suspicious about whether this is coming to their town,” — S. Sen. John Hickenlooper
