New Colorado laws require health inspections of ICE facilities, aim to reduce cost of homeowners insurance

Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post on Jun 4, 2026

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Gov. Jared Polis signed new laws Thursday that will require quarterly inspections of immigration detention facilities and help retrofit homes to protect against wind and hail damage.

Another bill signed by the governor aims to rein in the skyrocketing cost of Medicaid-like coverage for some immigrants without legal status in Colorado.

The immigration detention bill, House Bill 1276, requires local health agencies to conduct unannounced inspections of detention facilities to ensure they meet food, water, housing and medical standards. Those facilities could face up to $50,000 in fines for any violations.

Only one detention center currently operates in Colorado — a privately run facility in Aurora owned by the Geo Group and contracted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The law applies only to state-, county- and privately run facilities. It would not cover detention centers owned wholly by the federal government.

“We have a responsibility to do everything we can to keep our communities safe from the violent and unconstitutional overreach of ICE,” said Sen. Iman Jodeh, an Aurora Democrat and sponsor of the law, in a statement. “We hear all too often about death, sickness, overcrowding, and other unacceptable conditions in ICE detention facilities, but there is almost no transparency. This law is about increasing oversight, ensuring frequent inspections, and protecting health and safety.”

Earlier versions of the bill included transparency requirements for the handling of federal immigration subpoenas received by the state — related to controversy about Polis’ cooperation with such a subpoena — and a prohibition on ICE agents entering nonpublic areas of jails. Both were stripped to avoid a veto from Polis, sponsors said.

On Thursday, Polis also signed House Bill 1411, which will limit healthcare services provided under the Cover All Coloradans program. The program seeks to mirror Medicaid coverage for low-income children and pregnant women who are immigrants without legal status.

Costs for the program blew past initial estimates, from an expected $14.7 million to $105 million, while the state also grappled with another budget deficit north of $1 billion.

The new law eliminates long-term services for people who aren’t already using them beginning in January. It also caps dental services and limits behavioral health services, among other changes. Members of the Joint Budget Committee, Democrat and Republican alike, frequently called it one of the toughest bills of the session because it takes access to healthcare away from children who had no say in their ailments or where they live.

To help manage insurance costs for homeowners, Polis signed Senate Bill 155. The law creates a new state enterprise that will assess a fee on homeowners insurance policies; the majority of the money generated must go to help homeowners retrofit residential property against extreme weather events like wind and hail.

The effort is part of Polis’ final-year effort to lower Colorado’s home and auto insurance costs.

“Homeowners insurance premiums have skyrocketed in recent years, squeezing household budgets and costing families thousands each year,” Sen. Kyle Mullica, a Thornton Democrat and bill sponsor, said in a statement. “This law is a commonsense approach to reduce costs and make Colorado homes more resilient and disaster-ready for years to come.”

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