AURORA, Colo. — Adams County health officials are investigating the Aurora ICE detention facility after allegations of untreated illness outbreaks and inadequate medical care, following complaints from immigrant rights advocates and families of detainees.
The Adams County Health Department confirmed the ongoing investigation but would not elaborate on specific reports or conditions being examined.
Yoselin Corrales, who's part of the immigrant rights group Aurora Unidos CSO, said the group has heard allegations from people inside the facility about overcrowding and medical neglect.
"There are people with severe mental health and physical health complications within the facility, and they are not receiving adequate care for those," alleges Corrales. "There is not adequate mental health treatment for the trauma that people are experiencing within the facility. We've seen food withheld as a punishment. We've heard about food not being offered when people are sick. People are not getting medical care in a sufficient amount of time."
In a statement to Scripps News Denver, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson denied claims about untreated illness outbreaks at the facility.
The spokesperson said detainees receive medical and dental care, as well as a mental health screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility. DHS said detainees receive a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or upon arrival at a facility, and have access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care.
"Any claims about an illness outbreak being untreated are categorically FALSE. All detainees are provided with proper medical care. It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare that many aliens have received in their entire lives," said DHS in a statement.
Groups of demonstrators have consistently protested outside the ICE facility on Oakland Street to call for the release of detainees. The most recent protest outside the facility happened on Jan. 7 after an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
Christina Lee has joined the protests outside the ICE facility to call for better conditions for people inside, including for her fiancé. She said he came to the United States from Venezuela two years ago seeking asylum.
"We want better conditions for these people. They're not, they're not animals. They're human beings," said Lee.
Aurora City Councilmember Alison Coombs has brought up concerns about medical care and illness inside the ICE facility. Councilmembers voted to pass a resolution last week opposing "unlawful and overreaching" federal immigration enforcement actions after Good's death in Minnesota. The resolution also calls attention to advocates and detainees "reporting an unmanaged illness outbreak at the GEO I.C.E Detention Facility."
In a statement to Scripps News Denver, Coombs said she is grateful to Adams County for their investigation at the facility.
"More frequent, unannounced inspection of this facility is needed. Regular oversight of the facility is being hindered by fear of retaliation among detainees and a reduction in the type and quality of data provided to the congressman's staff. Detainees have reported to advocates that they are so weak from illness that they cannot get up to retrieve meals and staff are not bringing them meals when this happens. In addition, while detainees were experiencing fevers, they were only given fever-reducing medication once per day. This is consistent with independent reports that documented detainees in this facility and others being denied proper medical treatment," said Coombs in a statement.