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The 186 patients are between 13 and 66 years old, the Texas Department of Health Services said Tuesday.
Most cases involved prisoners, although five workers also contracted the virus. The state health department does not believe this has spread to the community.
Mumps is a contagious virus that is usually spread by saliva and mucus. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite and puffiness around the cheeks and jaw of the swollen salivary glands.
A Houston facility reported 11 cases. Dr. David Persse, the city's public health officer, said he had received reports that immigrants would appear in court wearing a mask, fever and symptoms of the disease.
"They should be isolated," Persse said.
Persse urged the US immigration and customs services to immediately begin isolating people with mumps symptoms and quarantining people who may have been infected.
"To a certain extent, this is predictable, because you bring a lot of people and shelter them in tight spaces for long periods of time," Persse said.
All detainees are subjected to medical, mental health and dental examinations within 12 hours of their arrival in detention facilities, in accordance with the ICE policy. Miners receive vaccines according to the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ICE "asks these people about the vaccination, but many of them have no idea … or do not have any paperwork," Persse said. "Some of them have never seen a doctor in all their life."
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to remove obsolete information on reported cases of old cases reported in Texas.
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