Judge Blocks Transfer of Ex-Death Row Inmates to Notorious Colorado Prison

The ruling prevents the Trump administration from moving inmates to the 'Alcatraz of the Rockies'

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from transferring former death row inmates to a notorious federal supermax prison in Colorado, ruling that the process was arbitrary and violated the inmates' due process rights.

Why it matters

The case highlights concerns over the treatment of high-security inmates, especially those who have had their death sentences commuted, and the limits on the government's ability to unilaterally transfer prisoners without proper procedures.

The details

U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly ruled that the Trump administration had dictated the decision to transfer the inmates to the ADX Florence prison, known as the 'Alcatraz of the Rockies', before they could challenge it. The judge said the Constitution requires the government to provide due process whenever depriving someone of liberty, even for 'a notorious prisoner'.

  • On Wednesday, the federal judge issued the 35-page ruling blocking the transfers.

The players

Timothy J. Kelly

A U.S. District Judge who ruled against the Trump administration's plan to transfer former death row inmates to the ADX Florence prison.

Rejon Taylor

The plaintiff in the lawsuit filed on behalf of inmates whose death sentences were commuted by former president Joe Biden before he left office.

Donald Trump

The former president whose administration sought to transfer the former death row inmates to the notorious Colorado prison.

Pam Bondi

The former Attorney General who was part of the Trump administration's efforts to transfer the inmates.

Joe Biden

The former president who commuted the death sentences of the inmates before leaving office.

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What they’re saying

“But the Constitution requires that whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of a liberty or property interest that the Due Process Clause protects—whether that person is a notorious prisoner or a law-abiding citizen—the process it provides cannot be a sham.”

— Timothy J. Kelly, U.S. District Judge (Newsweek)

“The process to transfer the inmates 'is a sham, arbitrary process—not due process.'”

— Rejon Taylor (Newsweek)

What’s next

The judge's ruling requires the inmates to remain in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, while they challenge the proposed transfer to the ADX Florence prison in Colorado.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of due process protections, even for high-security inmates, and the limits on the government's ability to unilaterally transfer prisoners without proper procedures. It also underscores the ongoing debate over the treatment of former death row inmates whose sentences have been commuted.