Possible New ICE Detention Facility in Rural Hudson Raises Concerns

Advocates worry the remote location could limit access and oversight for detainees and their families.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 9:31pm

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A potential new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Hudson, Colorado, more than 30 miles from Denver, is raising concerns among immigration advocates. The remote location could pose challenges for detainees' families and limit access for nonprofits, elected officials, and other oversight groups.

Why it matters

The expansion of ICE detention facilities nationwide has been a controversial issue, with advocates arguing the remote locations can make it harder for detainees to access legal and social services, as well as limit public oversight of detention conditions.

The details

According to documents obtained by the ACLU, a former correctional facility in Hudson, Colorado could become the site of a new ICE detention center. This would be a much more rural setting compared to the current Aurora Detention Center, which is surrounded by businesses. The Hudson location is at least a 40-minute drive from Denver, potentially creating barriers for families without reliable transportation to visit detained loved ones. It also raises concerns about how detainees would be released and whether they would have to navigate unfamiliar public transit routes back to Denver.

  • The Trump administration has been expanding ICE detention operations nationwide.

The players

Andrea Loya

An advocate with Casa de Paz, an organization that works with detainees at the Aurora Detention Center.

ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union, which obtained documents about the potential new ICE facility in Hudson.

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What they’re saying

“It's definitely a different landscape.”

— Andrea Loya, Advocate, Casa de Paz

“I think a further facility, a facility in districts in which maybe we would not get as many folks actually going in or trying to go in to oversee the facility, the overseeing of the facility is the biggest worry.”

— Andrea Loya, Advocate, Casa de Paz

What’s next

It remains unclear if the former correctional facility in Hudson will definitively become an ICE detention center, or what the timeline would be for such a transition.

The takeaway

The potential expansion of ICE detention facilities to more remote locations raises concerns about access and oversight, as advocates argue it could create additional barriers for detainees' families and limit the ability of nonprofits, elected officials, and other groups to monitor conditions inside the facilities.