Federal officials have confirmed seven active cases of measles at the Florence Detention Center in Arizona, leading to quarantines and restrictions on visitation. The outbreak affects both the Florence Service Processing Center and the Florence Staging Facility, which are operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). An unnamed spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that the ICE Health Services Corps has implemented measures to control the spread of the infection, including ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining individuals who may have been in contact with the infected. Non-legal in-person visitation has been suspended to protect the health and safety of detainees, staff, and the community.
Several detainees suspected of exposure to measles were previously held in quarantine at the Eloy Detention Center, but no cases have been confirmed there, according to a spokesperson for CoreCivic, the private company that operates both Eloy and the Florence facilities. CoreCivic follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols for measles, including testing and monitoring procedures for individuals who may have been exposed.
Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Arizona, visited Eloy on July 2 and reported that staff indicated several detainees were in isolation due to possible exposure. Advocates from the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project expressed concerns about detainees' access to legal and support services during the quarantine. While DHS stated that only non-legal visits are restricted, a manager from the Florence Project indicated that all in-person visits, including legal ones, are currently suspended.
Detainees are also not being transported to immigration court because of the quarantine, which may delay their proceedings. The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 108 confirmed measles cases in the state this year, with a significant proportion of infected individuals being unvaccinated. The resurgence of measles in the U.S. has been linked to declining vaccination rates, particularly during the pandemic. The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but cases have surged, with 2,268 reported in 2025, the highest number in 30 years. The DHS stated that detainees with measles are being monitored and receiving appropriate medical care, including access to vaccines.