Watchdog finds waste and unsanitary conditions at ICE facility inside Fort Bliss
Summary
A government watchdog agency found serious problems at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center called Camp East Montana, located inside the Fort Bliss Army base in Texas. Issues included wasteful spending, dirty living conditions, poor health care, missing weapons, and two detainee deaths under investigation.Key Facts
- Camp East Montana is the largest ICE detention facility with room for 5,000 detainees.
- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed conditions from August 2025 to March 2026 and found major issues.
- Two detainees died in January 2026; one from asphyxiation ruled a homicide, the other by suicide after being left alone too long.
- A loaded firearm went missing in January and had not been found by March.
- The facility had unsanitary conditions partly because cleaning was inconsistent; some guards gave cookies to detainees to clean their own areas.
- Detainees with chronic illnesses like HIV and diabetes did not get proper medical care.
- The Army awarded a $1.2 billion contract to a company with no detention experience, leading to wasted money and poor service.
- The contract paid for meals and services even when the facility was empty or had fewer detainees than capacity.
- ICE is currently replacing the contractor and improving medical care and oversight at the site.
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