ICE Measles Outbreak Halts Court Hearings as Locked-Down Detainees Lose Access to Lawyers

A measles outbreak has forced an immediate lockdown at an immigration detention facility in Florence, Arizona, after federal officials confirmed a cluster of active cases.

The emergency has halted outside contact and court transport as authorities race to contain the virus.

Lockdown Triggered by Measles Cases

A total lockdown and strict isolation protocols are now in place at an Arizona immigration detention facility after federal officials detected seven active measles cases.

An anonymous US Department of Homeland Security official confirmed the situation in a Tuesday email to the Arizona Daily Star, saying the infections are concentrated within the Florence Detention Center. The affected site, comprising both a service processing hub and a temporary staging wing, is managed by ICE, the agency responsible for providing all clinical and psychological care on-site.

According to the official statement, 'ICE Health Services Corps immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected.'

The agency added: 'All non-legal in-person visitation is currently suspended to protect the health and safety of the detainees, the staff, and the community.'

CoreCivic Says No Active Cases

A spokesperson for CoreCivic, the private, for-profit company that manages both Eloy and the Florence Correctional Center, said that while several potentially exposed ICE detainees were isolated at Eloy last week, the facility currently has no confirmed infections.

In an email statement, CoreCivic spokesperson Ryan Gustin confirmed: 'Based on the results of these protocols, we can report that there are currently no confirmed measles cases at either of these facilities.'

He added: 'CoreCivic follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measles protocols, including testing, quarantine, and monitoring procedures for individuals who may have been exposed prior to their arrival at our facilities, including our Eloy Detention Center and Central Arizona Florence Correctional Complex.'

Lawmakers Raise Questions

During an unannounced oversight inspection at Eloy on 2 July, Arizona Democratic Representative Greg Stanton learned from on-site staff that multiple detainees had already been placed into isolation following potential exposure to the virus.

Legal Access Under Threat

The ongoing isolation measures have raised serious concerns at the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, a non-profit organisation that provides free legal and social support to individuals held in Arizona's ICE facilities, over how those in lockdown will continue to access essential legal services.

The official claim from DHS that restrictions apply solely to social visits has been openly disputed by a manager at the Florence Project, who warned that the reality on the ground appears very different.

Speaking in an email on Tuesday, adult legal programme manager Monica Cordero-Vazquez said: 'In fact, the information we have is that Florence Detention Center is subject to a full closure/lockdown due to measles quarantines, and all in person visits — including legal visits — are currently suspended.'

The Star's attempts to obtain clarification from an ICE spokesperson regarding the status of legal visits went unanswered. Meanwhile, Cordero-Vazquez said the isolation protocols have completely halted detainee transfers to immigration court, a disruption that threatens to delay legal proceedings and prolong time spent in custody.

Concerns Over Lack of Communication

This is not the first communication failure. ICE quietly managed three measles cases at the facility in February without alerting local aid organisations. Volunteers now say they are facing the same lack of information, with shelter worker Anna Keating confirming via text: 'We have not been told anything by ICE.'