The outbreak at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in rural West Texas is the second-largest among the nation’s 49 immigration detention centers that have seen positive cases.
A healthcare worker preps for a COVID-19 test at the drive-thru testing station in Alpine on April 25, 2020. Photo credit: Sarah M. Vasquez for The Texas Tribuneby Texas Tribune Staff, The Texas Tribune
Outbreak at immigrant detention center near Abilene infects more than 25% of residents
An outbreak at a recently opened immigrant detention center outside of Abilene has left more than one-quarter of its residents infected with COVID-19, the El Paso Times reported Saturday.
The outbreak at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in rural West Texas is the second-largest among the nation’s 49 immigration detention centers that have seen positive cases.
The center, originally meant to be a state prison, opened just before Christmas and is run by Management and Training Corp., or MTC, and houses 417 men and women. Of those, 111 have tested positive, along with six of the center’s 118 staff members, the newspaper reported.
Previous detention center outbreaks have led to strained relations between local leaders and private contractors in Texas. Earlier this month, Frio County commissioners demanded answers from officials with the GEO Group after the virus took hold at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, south of San Antonio. — Jeremy Schwartz
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/23/coronavirus-updates-texas/.
The Texas Tribune is proud to celebrate 10 years of exceptional journalism for an exceptional state.
Explore the next 10 years with us.
The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
“Coronavirus in Texas: Outbreak at private immigration detention center near Abilene” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
