Political Discourses |
In a recent development, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is moving to reopen a closed correctional facility in Hudson, northeast of metro Denver, as part of a plan to triple Colorado's immigrant detention capacity.
According to reports obtained by the Washington Post, the expansion includes the reopening of the Hudson Correctional Facility in Weld County, along with potential new detention sites in Walsenburg and Ignacio. However, these plans remain partly unconfirmed by ICE representatives and face significant local and political scrutiny and protest.
The Aurora ICE facility currently holds around 1,360 detainees, and there are plans to increase this by nearly 200 beds. This overall capacity expansion in Colorado is part of a broader federal effort to increase ICE detention capacity nationwide to over 100,000 detainees.
ICE disclosed to Colorado Rep. Crow on August 11, 2025, plans to open the Hudson Correctional Facility for immigration detention. However, details on operational management, exact capacity, and funding remain unclear. Reports also mention potential use of facilities in Walsenburg (Huerfano County Correctional Center) and the Southern Ute Indian Adult Detention Center in Ignacio.
The reopening of the Hudson facility is pending a formal ICE contract. Private prison companies such as CoreCivic, owner of the Walsenburg facility, have toured the sites and expressed interest, but contracts are not finalized.
Local officials and communities in Colorado are largely left in the dark, with no formal announcements or clear communication from ICE. This lack of transparency has sparked protests, especially near Walsenburg, where residents oppose reopening the mothballed detention center for immigrant detention.
The political context includes a major budget increase approved by Congress under the Trump administration, boosting ICE’s budget significantly to nearly $75 billion, enabling the agency to expand personnel and detention facilities nationwide, including Colorado.
Critics, including Colorado Democrats and advocacy groups, highlight longstanding concerns about detainee treatment, missing due process, and the use of private prisons with histories of mistreatment.
In summary, while the reopening of the Hudson Correctional Facility as part of tripling Colorado's immigrant detention capacity is planned and partially disclosed, it remains unofficial and contested, with local resistance and calls for ICE transparency. Contracts for these expansions have not been completely finalized as of late August 2025.
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- The upcoming reopening of the Hudson Correctional Facility and the proposed expansion of ICE detention capacity in Colorado is surrounded by policy-and-legislation discussions, as it involves significant budget increases and raises concerns about treatment of detainees, due process, and the use of private prisons.
- The proposal to triple Colorado's immigrant detention capacity, part of a broader national plan, is currently under political scrutiny and general-news attention, given the controversies surrounding ICE policies, local opposition, and calls for transparency, particularly regarding operational management, funding, and contracts with private prison companies.
