Three cases of measles have been confirmed among federal immigration detainees in Arizona, according to health officials.

The Pinal County Public Health Services District on Jan. 16 reported its first measles case in a decade and has since confirmed two more. All three cases “are associated with individuals in federal custody,” Pinal County Public Health Services District spokesperson Jassmin Castro wrote in a Jan. 27 email to Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The potential outbreak comes as migrants in other detention centers in the United States describe sick children and a lack of health care resources while inside, and cases of the measles are on the rise in other states.

More details on the confirmed cases of measles in Arizona

Pinal County is located in the central part of Arizona between the cities of Tucson and Phoenix.

Castro would not say whether the confirmed cases are linked. Congregate settings such as jails and prisons are vulnerable to outbreaks if not enough people are vaccinated and public health protocols aren’t followed.

Castro would not provide other details about infected individuals, including detention facilities and locations, “in order to protect patient privacy and comply with medical confidentiality laws.” But the Department of Homeland Security confirmed in a Jan. 27 email to The Arizona Republic that at least one case was a Mexican citizen being held at the Florence Detention Center in central Arizona.

The DHS email also stated that ICE Health Services Corp. “immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected.”

Officials with ICE did not immediately respond to The Arizona Republic on Jan. 27. At this time, the overall risk to the general public is low, Castro wrote.

More news: Nation’s measles-free status in jeopardy. How doctors are handling it.

Measles cases on the rise in Arizona and nationwide

The Pinal County cases are part of an overall spike in measles cases in Arizona. There have been 25 in Arizona to date in 2026: three in Pinal County, three in Maricopa County, two in Pima County, and 17 in Mohave County. The Mohave County cases are part of an outbreak on the Arizona-Utah border that has been ongoing since August 2025.

To the editor: The article about stalling population growth in California, plus the opinion piece bemoaning the lack of housing in L.A., got me to thinking (“Foreign-born population falls by 1.5 million amid Trump policies. California economy under threat,” Jan. 27; “Los Angeles is sabotaging itself on housing,” Jan. 27). Is perpetual growth the only way to assure prosperity?

Of course, there is plenty of land to build houses on, but is that what we really want? California is unique among states in the diversity, majesty and grandeur of its natural lands. Yes, we have national and state parks to preserve the most unique and precious features, but should the rest of it be developed into limitless vistas of tract homes with only these few outdoor museums remaining to show what once was everywhere?

Cities understand the value of zoning, restricting the density of housing — with the most desirable neighborhoods having big enough lots that you usually can’t see or hear your neighbors, with plenty of nature in between. Why can’t the state say when enough is enough, to curb endless runaway growth by zoning California statewide to limit density permanently?

People have gravitated here because it is so special. Unless we establish limits, it won’t be special forever. Maybe growth flatlining is a solution, not a problem. Lots of open land is a way to preserve prosperity by preserving the value of what’s still here.

Robert C. Huber, Yorba Linda

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To the editor: It’s great to hear that there’s a population plateau in California. It seems the reason why we were so busy trying to build apartment buildings in single-family neighborhoods was because we were having too much population growth.

Well, that’s apparently no longer the case — good. Now the city can stop complaining about housing and focus on affordability of the housing we already have.

Linda Bradshaw Carpenter, Los Angeles

DENVER — Several Colorado businesses are participating in a nationwide shutdown Friday in protest of ICE operations in Minnesota.

The national strike comes after the deadly shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Denver7 spent the morning outside of one store in Boulder, Trident Booksellers and Cafe. The front door is covered in signs saying the store is closed Friday as they stand in solidarity with Minnesota.

While the shop will be closed, business owners will begin handing out free coffee and having conversations with the community throughout the day.

This is just one of many coffee shops closed Friday as they participate in the shutdown. Our partners at the Denver Post reported nearly 20 restaurants and coffee shops across the Denver area will close for the day.

Denver7 spoke with a clothing shop located on Colfax, Scavenged Goods, also shutting down Friday.

“We can’t operate business as usual when all this is going on, so we have to kind of change that dynamic a little bit by shutting down,” Scavenged Goods Owner Chip Litherland told Denver7.

Litherland said participating in this protest is for the “greater good,” adding it’s important to show up for their neighbors, especially those who can’t right now.

“We care about the people that are being taken from their homes, and we care about not only that, but the protesters that are out on the street fighting all of this going on. So I hope when people come to the door and it’s locked, that they understand why,” Litherland said.

Colorado businesses participate in nationwide shutdown

Litherland also noted that the revenue his business may lose Friday is irrelevant, adding he will do this again if he has to.

“There was a little bit of me I was scared to close and like, okay, are people going to freak out, or is it going to be, you know, tough on my business, because it is one of our biggest days of the week, normally. But this is super important, and I hope they just realize that I’m out here trying to just do the one small thing that we can as a business.”

Several Colorado schools are also closing Friday amid a growing number of student and staff absences in support of the protests.