State seeks entry, records after partners report barriers
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has formally demanded access to the Aurora ICE Processing Center and the medical records of a detainee diagnosed with active tuberculosis, giving the GEO Group-managed facility until Friday to comply.
In a July 14 letter addressed to Warden Juan Baltazar and Health Administrator Anhtuan Pham, CDPHE Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan wrote that the department needs "the access, records, and information needed to conduct the public health investigation of a confirmed case of active tuberculosis disease" at the facility in Adams County.
Local partners reported roadblocks
CDPHE said the Adams County Health Department and the Denver Health Tuberculosis Clinic informed state officials they had encountered barriers that prevented a required investigation. Those barriers, the state wrote, are limiting officials’ ability to determine the scope of potential exposure and to protect detainees, employees, contractors, visitors, and others who may have been exposed.
"The Denver Health Tuberculosis (TB) Program plays a critical role as the primary provider of TB care for the seven-county metro area... We have not been permitted to communicate with GEO staff regarding patient care or evaluation of individuals who may have been exposed to TB in the facility. We are working through the appropriate channels to gain access to the facility and the patient."
The statement from the Denver Health Tuberculosis Clinic, provided to Denver7, emphasized the program’s role as the metro area's primary TB provider and its partnership with local public health agencies and CDPHE to diagnose and treat TB.
Why the investigation matters to Aurora
Tuberculosis remains a communicable respiratory disease that public-health officials say requires targeted clinical care and contact tracing to prevent spread. CDPHE’s letter framed timely access and record sharing as necessary to identify who may have been exposed and to take protective steps for:
- detainees currently in the facility
- facility staff and contractors
- visitors and people transferred or released from custody
State intervention follows the reporting from local partners that they could not complete evaluation and care coordination because they were denied access or communication with facility staff.
Federal context and oversight
The dispute over access to the facility is taking place amid separate legal developments involving detention oversight. A federal judge recently issued a temporary order blocking the Department of Homeland Security from enforcing a policy that would require members of Congress to give seven days' notice before visiting ICE detention centers, including the Aurora facility. That ruling underscores ongoing tensions about transparency at detention sites that affect oversight, public-health work and legislative scrutiny.
What’s next
CDPHE set a deadline of Friday for GEO to provide the requested access and medical records. The state letter indicates that without cooperation, public-health officials cannot complete the investigation or fully protect people who may have been exposed, but it does not state specific enforcement steps beyond the demand for compliance.
| Item | Date/Detail |
|---|---|
| CDPHE letter | July 14 — Demand for access and records |
| Local partners reporting barriers | Adams County Health Department & Denver Health TB Clinic notified CDPHE |
| Compliance deadline | Friday (per CDPHE letter) |
News Block will continue to monitor developments, including any response from GEO Group, actions by Adams County public-health officials, and whether state or federal authorities take further steps to resolve access to the Aurora facility.
