AURORA, Colo. — Colorado health officials issued a new public health order Thursday demanding the Aurora ICE Processing Center turn over tuberculosis records the state says the facility has withheld for nearly two months.
The order targets the GEO Group, the private company operating Colorado's only immigration detention center, alleging the company has refused to provide information necessary to complete a full public health investigation into a tuberculosis case at the facility.
GEO Group now has until next Monday, Aug. 17 to comply with the order. Failure to do so could result in legal action from Attorney General Phil Weiser.
"My office is committed to enforcing this public health order and defending Colorado law," Weiser told Denver7 on Thursday.
The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) said in its release on Thursday afternoon that "although GEO provided general statements about its response, it did not provide the requested access or underlying information needed to complete a full public health investigation."
Read Denver7's previous coverage below:
- State health dept gives GEO Group until Friday to allow tuberculosis investigation at Aurora ICE facility
- CDPHE fields questions about Aurora ICE facility TB investigation as groups demand more state action
- Health officials confirm TB case at Aurora ICE facility; ICE says person has been 'removed from the county'
According to the order, state officials say they do not know how many detained people or visitors have been exposed because GEO Group has not turned over medical records that other facilities routinely provide. Officials did acknowledge the risk to the general public is low.
Read the full order here:
The order alleges GEO Group has ignored mounting pressure dating back to an Adams County health order issued June 25. A written request from the state followed on July 14, and the governor's office made two additional requests on July 17 and July 20.
Immigration advocate Mark Billings, who regularly visits detainees at the facility, said the tuberculosis case, along with other issues, have created anxiety inside the detention center.
"There's no question that every time something bad happens to anyone inside, it ripples and worries everyone inside," Billings said.
Billings said he hopes GEO Group will ultimately cooperate with investigators.
"I would like to think so, and that they would be honest," Billings said.
In a statement, Adams County backed the state's action, saying in part "the time for cooperation is long-since overdue."
Denver7 reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a response to the new order and are waiting to hear back.
