Twelve Detainees at Colorado ICE Center Test Positive for Tuberculosis; 88 Placed in Quarantine

At least 12 detainees at the Aurora ICE processing center in Colorado have contracted tuberculosis in recent days, according to an account from inside the facility. Dozens of others in one pod of 88 people have been placed in quarantine. A Mexican detainee in his 30s who has been held at the center since December described the developments in a telephone call to The Guardian on Monday afternoon through his partner.

All 88 people in his pod received tuberculosis testing on Saturday, which identified 12 positive cases. One positive case had been identified in the pod three days earlier. Guards kept the 12 infected detainees together with the uninfected rather than separating them, the detainee said.

The entire group was told to remain in quarantine for at least a week. The air conditioning in the pod broke down on Sunday, after which staff distributed electric fans. Aurora was under a heat advisory on Monday afternoon with an outside temperature of 96F (36C).

The Aurora ICE processing center has a published capacity of 1,532 and housed 1,249 detainees as recently as March. The Geo Group, a Florida-based private company, operates the facility under government contract. Another apparent tuberculosis outbreak occurred at the center in April 2025.

Congressman Jason Crow or his staff have visited the facility more than 90 times since 2019, according to his office. Crow said in a statement that he would continue oversight to hold ICE accountable. The detainee's partner, a U.S.

Citizen who lives in south Florida, said the conditions were causing anxiety and questioned the delay in restoring air conditioning. The partner noted the detainee has other underlying health conditions.