State health officials have announced an additional 28 cases of measles over the past two weeks, raising the total number of infections in Texas to at least 175 this year. The majority of these cases are concentrated in a federal detention facility located in Hudspeth County, as reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Thursday.
Hudspeth County has seen 135 of the reported cases, all linked to individuals in federal custody. This area is home to the West Texas Detention Facility, which is privately operated by LaSalle Corrections and houses detainees from the U.S. Marshals Service, including immigrants who may be transferred to ICE custody upon completing their sentences.
No new cases were reported in any other counties this week.
El Paso County has recorded 24 measles cases this year, with at least 14 occurring at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention facility in the nation, according to DSHS.
Emails obtained through public records indicate that at least four residents of El Paso who worked at the West Texas Detention Facility have contracted measles, raising concerns about potential exposure in the community.
City officials in El Paso expressed frustration in these emails regarding the insufficient information provided by the federal detention center operators and the federal government, particularly concerning the vaccination status of detainees and their contacts.
Health experts have warned that the surge of measles cases within these detention centers highlights the public health risks associated with Texas’ involvement in the federal immigration enforcement efforts.
In addition to the 159 cases reported in El Paso and Hudspeth counties, another 16 cases have been confirmed across Bandera, Bexar, Frio, Kendall, Lubbock, and Rockwall counties. The two cases in Frio County were reported at the South Texas Family Residential Center, the only ICE facility in the country that accommodates children and their parents. DSHS has not documented any new cases in other counties over the past three weeks.
With a total of 175 cases this year, Texas ranks third in the nation for reported measles cases, following South Carolina with 668 cases and Utah with 318 cases as of March 26. Outbreaks in these states have persisted since the previous year.
Measles is particularly hazardous for unvaccinated children, pregnant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems. The disease is highly contagious and has an extended incubation period. Experts emphasize the importance of thorough investigations to ascertain the origins of these infections and to curb further spread.
The United States achieved measles elimination status in 2000, thanks to widespread vaccination coverage with the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, along with effective disease monitoring and public health responses.
Last year, Texas experienced its largest measles outbreak in three decades, primarily affecting the South Plains region. This outbreak originated in the small town of Seminole and spread to at least three other states, even crossing international borders. It was the most significant outbreak in the nation in over 35 years, resulting in the deaths of two children and sickening at least 762 individuals in Texas.
In November 2025, the Pan American Health Organization announced that the Americas, which includes the United States and Mexico, had lost its measles elimination status following an outbreak in Canada that lasted more than a year.
In 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 16 new measles outbreaks across the United States, including the ongoing situation in Texas. The Pan American Health Organization plans to evaluate the United States’ measles elimination status later this year.
