Texas Reports Surge of Measles Cases Linked to Federal Detention Facilities

State health officials in Texas confirmed 28 new measles cases over the past two weeks, raising the total number of reported infections in the state to at least 175 so far this year. The majority of these cases have been traced to a federal detention facility in Hudspeth County, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), which released updated figures on Thursday.

Hudspeth County has seen 135 cases this year, all among individuals in federal custody at the West Texas Detention Facility. The center is operated privately by Louisiana-based LaSalle Corrections and houses detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service, including those who may later be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

In El Paso County, authorities have identified 24 measles cases in 2026 to date, including at least 14 at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention facility in the United States, according to DSHS. Records obtained by local media show that at least four El Paso residents employed at the West Texas Detention Facility contracted measles, raising concerns of wider community exposure.

Local officials in El Paso have expressed frustration in internal communications about limited information from federal agencies regarding vaccination efforts and detainee contacts, complicating public health responses.

Additional cases have been found this year in Bandera, Bexar, Frio, Kendall, Lubbock, and Rockwall counties, with the Frio County cases occurring at South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, the nation’s only ICE facility housing families. No new counties have reported measles cases in the past three weeks.

With 175 confirmed measles cases, Texas currently has the third highest count nationwide in 2026, behind South Carolina and Utah, both of which are experiencing ongoing outbreaks. Health experts have warned that outbreaks in detention facilities can accelerate community transmission, especially in environments with incomplete vaccination coverage.

State and federal investigations into the outbreak’s source and mitigation strategies remain ongoing.