Judge Halts Colorado Law Targeting GEO Group Immigration Detention Center

A federal judge appointed by Donald Trump has halted key parts of a new Colorado law aimed at tightening oversight of an immigration detention center. Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico issued this preliminary injunction Thursday after concluding the state likely overstepped its constitutional bounds. The ruling specifically targets provisions directed at the GEO Group's Aurora ICE Processing Center, which operates under a federal contract and stands as the sole such facility in Colorado.

In his written opinion, Judge Domenico wrote that GEO successfully demonstrated it was being singled out for special treatment that applies nowhere else. He noted that similar regulatory burdens on other facilities do not alter the fact that none are required to comply with House Bill 26-1276. The extent of those extra demands is irrelevant when testing whether discrimination has occurred based on federal contractor status.

Democratic Governor Jared Polis signed HB 1276 into law on June 4, seeking to expand state supervision over immigration detention sites. Judge Domenico pointed out that as of May, the GEO facility in Aurora was the only location subject to these new regulations. He argued that while Colorado claims the law merely aligns GEO with existing rules for other centers, the statute actually creates a separate set of restrictions unique to this specific category of facility. That distinction is enough to prove the bill discriminates against GEO because it acts as a federal contractor.

The blocked sections mandated unannounced inspections at least once every three months, with costs falling entirely on GEO. Refusing access to these inspectors could trigger civil penalties reaching $50,000 per incident. Domenico emphasized that some burdens are indeed unique here. The requirement for specific numbers of surprise visits does not appear elsewhere in the code, and the state admits its penalty scheme targets only this one facility type.

Colorado officials argued the law simply placed GEO on equal footing with other private detention centers operating under state authority. Judge Domenico rejected this logic unless the regulations governed facilities executing state policies directly. He suggested that argument might have been persuasive under those different circumstances but did not apply to a federal contract situation.

The decision leans heavily on the Constitution's supremacy clause, which keeps federal government activities free from state interference. Supreme Court precedent supports protections for private contractors carrying out federal operations against local regulatory overreach. The injunction prevents enforcement of reporting demands regarding chronic health conditions, disabilities, dietary needs, legal access, and worship spaces until future rulemaking occurs.

Judge Domenico left those broader oversight provisions in place because Colorado told the court they were not currently enforced. State officials stated there are no immediate plans to begin implementing those requirements or starting the necessary regulatory process. The preliminary injunction remains active until October, leaving a significant gap in legislative intent for now.

When the federal contract expires in July, Colorado stands ready to act. The Justice Department has sued GEO Group over state tuition and financial aid for illegal immigrants. Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser called the recent ruling a minor win for the company. "Today's ruling granted the GEO Group a narrow, temporary injunction against one provision of a new 2026 law, not the broad relief it sought, and leaves Colorado's existing public health and safety authority intact," Weiser said Thursday. He added that a separate lawsuit filed yesterday aims to enforce state power and force GEO to cooperate with the investigation into tuberculosis at the Aurora facility. "We will continue using every available tool to protect the health and safety of Coloradans."

The state moved against GEO on Wednesday. Officials want the company to follow a public health order from an active TB case found there on June 22. Health officials confirmed that specific case, yet the state claims GEO has not handed over records or cooperation needed to see how wide the exposure really is. The government argues its power to check for communicable diseases comes before HB 26-1276 and holds strong even after Domenico temporarily blocked new inspection rules. Fox News Digital asked both GEO and Polis' office for comment.