Jan 30, 2026
3 min read
U.S. Department of Homeland Securityyou say a person at Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Arizona has measles, a highly contagious virus that can cause a high fever and rash.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says a person in custody at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Arizona has measles, a highly contagious virus that can cause a high fever and a characteristic rash.
Earlier this month, "The Arizona Department of Public Health confirmed an active measles infection in a Mexican national housed at the Florence Detention Center," a DHS spokesperson said in an email Wednesday.
"ICE Health Services Corp immediately took measures to quarantine and control further spread and infection, halting all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of having been in contact with infected individuals," the email said.
The Florence Detention Center is located in Penal County, Arizona, and since the original case, the county has reported two more cases of measles.
"At this time, the Pinal County Health District has three confirmed cases of measles in the county," spokeswoman Jasmine Castro said in an email Wednesday."PCPHSD continues to follow standard public health protocols for confirmed measles cases in coordination with public health partners. At this time, the overall risk to the public is low."
The Florence Detention Center in Arizona is operated by the private company CoreCivic, which provides inmates with health care services, including screening, prevention, health education, diagnosis and treatment, company spokesman Brian Todd said in an email Wednesday.
"The health and safety of those entrusted to our care is CoreCivic's top priority. This commitment is shared by our government partners at ICE, and we work closely with them to ensure the well-being of everyone in our care," Todd said in the email.
"All inmates have daily access to medical appointments and mental health services. For those medical needs that require specialized care, the facility works closely with local hospitals and providers to meet those needs. Emergency care is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
A 2016 measles outbreak at an ICE detention center in Pinal County resulted in more than 30 cases of measles among inmates and nine staff members, according to a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Arizona has reported 25 cases of measles since the beginning of this year.
Nationwide, the United States recorded 2,242 measles cases last year, significantly more than in any year since the United States was declared measles-free in 2000.
"According to our most recent data, three of these cases are from Pinal, 17 are related to the Mojave outbreak that we know has been ongoing since last year, three in Maricopa and one in Pima County," said Dr.
Before 2025, there have been an average of about 180 measles cases reported each year since elimination, according to CDC data.But so far this year, there have been 416 confirmed cases of measles reported in the United States.
