Attorney General Phil Weiser statement on ruling in the GEO Group challenge to Colorado health and safety law

Aug. 20, 2026 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser released the following statement regarding today’s federal court ruling on the GEO Group’s challenge to House Bill 26-1276:

“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. Separately, our lawsuit filed yesterday seeks to enforce that existing authority and require GEO to cooperate with the state’s investigation into tuberculosis at the Aurora facility, and we will continue using every available tool to protect the health and safety of Coloradans.”

Today’s ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by the GEO Group challenging House Bill 26-1276, a law enacted this year concerning health and safety oversight of immigration detention facilities. The court declined to block other portions of the law and limited its preliminary injunction to certain inspection requirements through Oct. 15, 2026, when the GEO Group’s current federal contract to operate the Aurora ICE Processing Center expires.

The ruling is separate from the lawsuit Attorney General Weiser filed Wednesday seeking to force the GEO Group to comply with a state public health order related to the investigation of a confirmed tuberculosis case at the Aurora facility. That lawsuit seeks to enforce Colorado’s pre-existing public health laws and remains pending before the court.

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Media Contact:
Mallory Boyce
Communications Specialist
720-219-1898 (cell)
Mallory.Boyce@coag.gov