A new federal watchdog report has found severe violations at one of the country's largest immigration detention centers, including millions of dollars wasted, detainee health endangered, and the destruction or loss of evidence in a detainee death investigation.
The report, produced by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), focuses on Camp East Montana. The facility opened in August 2025 on the grounds of the U.S. Army's sprawling Fort Bliss military installation in El Paso, Texas. The facility can hold up to 5,000 immigrants.
But the detention center, formerly operated by Acquisition Logistics LLC and since March operated by Amentum Services, has been dogged by problems and has not been running at full capacity. The report found millions of dollars wasted on meals and operations billed at full capacity even when the actual detainee population was far lower.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., one of the lawmakers who requested the report, called it "damning."
"We now know even more details of how dangerous and irresponsible the Trump Administration's mass deportation campaign truly is," Durbin said in a news release. "Excessive use of force, lacking medical and mental health care, and wasted taxpayer dollars are emblematic of this mass deportation scheme."
In a statement to NPR, the Department of Homeland Security vowed upgrades and improvements to the troubled facility under a new contractor. The agency said "ICE is always looking at ways to improve our detention facilities to ensure we are providing the best care to illegal aliens in our custody."
Evidence destroyed in death-related case
Since its inception, Camp East Montana has been mired in controversy.
The detention facility was hastily built in order to meet the detention space needs for President Trump's crackdown on immigration.
Acquisition Logistics LLC, a small contractor with no prior experience in immigration detention, was awarded a $1.3 billion contract to operate the center.
Since its opening last year, immigration lawyers and immigrant-rights organizations have expressed concerns about the conditions inside the facility.
In a letter to Congress in December, the ACLU included the experiences of 45 detainees who described "repeated instances of coercion" and physical force.
In February, ICE inspectors found 49 violations to detention standards at Camp East Montana, including a failure from staff to "accurately document required checks to prevent significant self-harm and suicide", and a month later four detinees sued the detention center and described "severe medical neglect."
At least three people have died while in custody at Camp East Montana.
One of the deaths — detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos — was ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office.
The GAO report found "the contractor did not provide use of force
and death reports to ICE, as required."
"In addition, evidence associated with the incident was missing or destroyed," the report said.
Acquisition Logistics LLC did not respond to a request for comment from NPR. Chris Benoit, an attorney representing the family of Lunas Campos, also declined to comment.
DHS replaced Acquisition Logistics' contract in March. A new, $453 million contract was given to Amentum Services, a company that was working as a subcontractor for Acquisition Logistics at Camp East Montana.
"This new contractor will allow Camp East Montana to continue abiding by the highest detention standards WITH the ability to provide MORE medical care on-site," DHS said in a statement Wednesday. "This contract also allows more on-site staff and a PRECISE quality assurance surveillance plan. ICE will have even more oversight of the contractors at this facility."
But that's not enough for the immigration-rights advocates and lawmakers representing the area.
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who has visited the facility, is calling for it to be shut down, the contractor investigated, and the destruction of evidence referred to law enforcement. "Republicans should work with us to redirect these funds to meet the needs of hardworking Americans," Escobar said in a news release.
DHS pushed back on any idea the facility will shut down, saying in a statement to NPR, "Far from closing, Camp East Montana is upgrading."
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