Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico issued a preliminary injunction blocking Colorado from enforcing HB 26-1276 provisions aimed at GEO Group’s Aurora ICE Processing Center, the state’s only ICE detention facility.
Domenico said Colorado likely violated the Supremacy Clause by singling out a federal contractor for special regulation, including unannounced inspections at least every three months and fines of up to $50,000 for refusing access.
The injunction leaves untouched other parts of the June 4 law—such as possible reporting, staffing and medical requirements—because Colorado said those measures are not yet being enforced and would require future rulemaking.
The order expires Oct. 15, when GEO’s current federal operating contract ends, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called it a narrow, temporary setback rather than a broad defeat for the state.
Colorado separately sued GEO a day earlier to enforce a public health order tied to a tuberculosis investigation after an active TB case was confirmed at the Aurora facility on June 22.
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