Judge Blocks Part of New Colorado Immigration Detention Center Inspections Law
The ruling leaves county inspections intact but pauses a state mandate for GEO Group to fund and accept unannounced checks every three months.
- On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico temporarily blocked provisions of HB 26-1276 requiring unannounced health inspections at the Aurora Immigration Customs Enforcement Processing Center.
- Domenico found the law likely unconstitutional because it singled out The GEO Group, a federal contractor, for special regulation, interfering with federal authority over the detention facility.
- The injunction blocks state requirements for unannounced inspections every three months and penalties of up to $50,000 for refusal, though pre-existing state health authority and county inspection powers remain intact.
- Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser noted the ruling leaves existing public health authority intact; a separate lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks to force GEO to cooperate with a tuberculosis investigation.
- The preliminary injunction expires October 15, 2026, when GEO's current federal contract with ICE ends; Domenico noted future contracts "may alter the analysis significantly, or make proceeding further with this case unnecessary at all.
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20 Articles
Colorado suffers defeat in lawsuit against private ICE facility over local oversight
AURORA, Colo. (KRDO) - A federal judge granted a partial injunction in favor of the private ICE facility, blocking the State from conducting unannounced inspections. The company, GEO Group, operates the Aurora facility and others across the country. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of the company. He said The post Colorado suffers defeat in lawsuit against private ICE facility over local oversight appe…
Federal Judge Knocks Down Colorado Law On Inspecting Federal Immigration Centers
The judge had to explain federalism to the Democrats Federal judge blocks part of new Colorado law requiring regular inspections of immigrant detention centers A federal judge in Denver this week blocked provisions of a new state law that required Colorado’s only immigrant detention center to open its doors for regular health inspections. The Thursday...
Federal judge halts portion of new state law targeting Aurora GEO ICE detention center
Vehicles are parked outside the entrance to the GEO Group’s immigrant detention facility in Aurora, Colo.. (AP File Photo/David Zalubowski, File) This story was first published at Colorado Newsline. DENVER | A federal judge Thursday blocked part of a new Colorado law that deals with inspections at immigration detention centers, at least until a contract between private prison operator The GEO Group and U.S. Immigration and Enforcement expires in…
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