A Denver‑area federal judge has sided with the GEO Group, a for‑profit prison operator, in its challenge to a new Colorado law that would require additional health and safety inspections of the state’s sole immigration detention center.
Background
House Bill 26‑1276 took effect this month and mandates more frequent inspections of federal immigration detention facilities in Colorado. The law also threatens a $50,000 fine and requires the facility operator to foot the cost of the inspections. The GEO Group, which runs the detention center in Adams County, argues the bill targets its single Colorado facility and conflicts with its contract with the Department of Homeland Security.
Judge’s ruling
U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, appointed by President Trump, granted a preliminary injunction blocking the law’s enforcement against GEO. Citing the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, the judge held that state legislation cannot impede federal activities. He concluded that GEO’s direct contract with the Department of Homeland Security places the company under exclusive federal authority, invoking the intergovernmental immunity doctrine.
State response
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who has been actively litigating the Trump administration’s immigration policies, issued a statement noting that the ruling provides only a temporary, narrow injunction and does not grant the broad relief GEO sought. His office declined to comment further.
Public‑health concerns
The detention center faced a tuberculosis outbreak in June, prompting Adams County health officials to request documents and access for investigation. GEO has limited cooperation, and the county has sued to compel compliance with the public‑health order. The state argues that the inspection requirements are essential for protecting public health, while GEO maintains the demands violate its federal contract.
Implications
The decision underscores the tension between state efforts to regulate immigration‑related facilities and the federal government’s exclusive authority over immigration enforcement. It also highlights the ongoing legal battles in Colorado over the Trump administration’s stricter immigration stance.
Both sides are expected to continue pursuing appeals and additional litigation as the dispute over the facility’s oversight moves forward.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
