Bennet, Crow Lead Colorado Democrats Calling on GEO to Comply with Public Health Orders

About About Michael Legislation News Press Releases Social Media Newsletter Archive Services Priorities Top Issues Child Tax Credit Investing in Colorado Contact Map Español Acerca de Michael Escribe a Michael Prioridades Servicios Visitando D.C. Bennet, Crow Lead Colorado Democrats Calling on GEO to Comply with Public Health Orders Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Congressman Jason Crow (D-Colo.) led all Democrats in the Colorado Congressional delegation to call on the GEO Group to comply with public health orders issued by the Adams County Health Department (ACHD) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) related to an active tuberculosis […] Aug 20, 2026 | Press Releases Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Congressman Jason Crow (D-Colo.) led all Democrats in the Colorado Congressional delegation to call on the GEO Group to comply with public health orders issued by the Adams County Health Department (ACHD) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) related to an active tuberculosis case at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora. GEO failed to comply with CDPHE’s August 17 deadline, asking them to hand over information related to a tuberculosis case confirmed at the facility in June. GEO has also failed to comply with the Adams County order that was issued on June 25, raising concerns that state and local public health officials have been unable to investigate potential exposures and ensure the health and well-being of Coloradans. In their letter, the lawmakers express concern that the GEO Group is “refusing to cooperate” with ACHD and CDPHE, preventing officials from independently verifying “that everyone potentially exposed [to tuberculosis] was appropriately identified, tested, evaluated, and connected with necessary treatment or follow-up.” “Public health officials need full transparency–not summary statements–to investigate because this threatens the safety of detained individuals, facility staff, and our surrounding community. We demand the GEO Group comply with the PHOs issued by ACHD and CDPHE and encourage the resumption of cooperation with state and local officials so experts can address any public health risk at the facility in a timely manner. It is only by acting in concert, through rigorous and continuous oversight at the federal, state, and local level, that we can protect the health and well-being of detainees, facility personnel, and the broader community,” wrote the lawmakers . Bennet and his staff have joined Crow and his congressional office in conducting consistent oversight visits to the Aurora detention facility throughout the current administration. In their most recent visit on August 14th , staff at the facility said there were no active cases of tuberculosis. Earlier this month, Bennet joined colleagues in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding answers following last month’s shooting by a GEO Group employee near the ICE detention facility in Aurora that left one person injured. In May, Bennet introduced four bills aimed at reforming DHS, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP): the Keeping Immigrants and Destinations Safe (KIDS) Act; the Training, Responsibility, Uniforms, and Standards for Transparency (TRUST) Act; and the Oversight, Protection, and Enforcement Notification (OPEN) Act. He also joined his colleagues to introduce the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act to protect children affected by immigration enforcement actions or proceedings against their parents. In January, Bennet joined his colleague to introduce the Providing Useful Budgets for Localities to Invest in Cops by Substituting Appropriations from Federal Enforcement To Yield Results (PUBLIC SAFETY) Act, legislation to redirect nearly $75 billion in funding passed in the Republican budget bill from ICE and send it instead to local law enforcement programs to help hire and train 200,000 local police officers in communities across the country. In November 2025, he joined his colleagues in introducing the bicameral Restoring Access to Detainees Act, legislation to ensure DHS allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families. In August 2025, he joined the Immigration Enforcement Identification Safety Act to prohibit immigration enforcement officials from wearing masks and to require them to wear visible identification. In February 2025, Bennet joined his Senate colleagues to introduce the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would reinstate DHS’ long-standing policies to prevent ICE from making arrests at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and places of worship. The text of the letter is available HERE and below. Dear George C. Zoley: We write to express profound concern with the lack of transparency in response to public health and safety i