ICE stonewalled us.

ICE and their contractors are totally out of control.

We’ve seen their agents terrorize our communities and kill people in the streets.

Now, Colorado public health officials are being stonewalled as they investigate a positive tuberculosis (TB) case and potential spread.

In June, the Adams County Health Department was notified of a suspected case of TB at the Aurora ICE facility, triggering a routine investigation. However, GEO Group, which operates the Aurora facility for ICE, has since refused to let Colorado’s public health officials fully investigate the case and the possible spread.

On Monday, we visited the ICE detention facility in Aurora to press for answers. What we saw was really disturbing.

We asked important questions about the confirmed case of tuberculosis – and other potential cases.

They rebuffed us.

Just like they’ve been ignoring Colorado public health officials who have been pressing for answers, too.

Ahead of the visit, we met with those public health officials from Adams County and the state. They emphasized that what they’re asking for is standard. In fact, none of them had ever heard of an entity in Colorado refusing to work with public health officials to address a potential spread of an infectious disease.

Never – until ICE and GEO blocked them out.

Public health officials are asking for information to keep Coloradans safe. Yet, GEO and ICE have ignored orders from both Adams County and now the state.

That’s totally unacceptable. We’ve never seen such a disregard for public health.

This week, after GEO refused to comply, Colorado filed a lawsuit against them. We applauded the lawsuit and will continue pressing GEO and ICE to come clean.

All of this is just another example of the enormous costs President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda is imposing on Colorado.

The latest estimates show Colorado taxpayers are paying $5.4 billion for the administration’s detention and deportation efforts. That’s about $2,400 per taxpayer.

Think about what that money could do for Colorado families: provide healthcare, put food on the table, pay rent, or make child care more affordable.

And, that’s on top of the rising gas prices from Trump’s war in Iran and higher health care costs driven by his cuts to fund tax breaks for billionaires. None of this makes sense. American families are getting crushed by this president’s extreme agenda.

We need an immigration system built on decency and the rule of law – not one that wastes taxpayer dollars and jeopardizes public safety.

We’ll keep demanding answers and fighting to hold ICE and GEO accountable.