Failures at Camp East Montana: GAO Report Exposes Inhumane Conditions and Wasteful Spending
A report released by a nonpartisan government watchdog revealed that a hastily constructed immigrant detention facility on a military base in Texas, known as Camp East Montana, failed to meet basic standards and wasted millions in federal funding. The facility, set up by the Department of Defense and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, was intended to hold up to 5,000 immigrants but faced issues such as tuberculosis cases, detainee deaths, and inhumane conditions.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlighted that the facility did not meet key detention standards, jeopardizing the safety of both detainees and staff. The report comes as the U.S. House prepares to pass a $70 billion package to fund immigration enforcement until the end of fiscal year 2029, with President Donald Trump expected to sign the legislation into law. Congressional Democrats, including Senators and Representatives, requested the GAO report on Camp East Montana.
GAO investigators found that the Department of Defense's contracting approach for the $1.3 billion contract for Camp East Montana lacked flexibility, resulting in wasteful spending on services like meals and employee services during periods when no detainees were present. The report also raised concerns about the Department of Homeland Security's plan to convert warehouses into detention facilities for immigrants, warning of potential repeating failures on a larger scale.
The GAO report made recommendations for ICE to consider tiered pricing for food based on detainee populations and to ensure that new facilities meet detention standards before housing immigrants. Both DHS and DOD agreed with the recommendations. The report also highlighted use-of-force concerns, including a detainee death ruled a homicide due to asphyxia, with missing or destroyed evidence associated with the incident.
Senator Dick Durbin called the GAO report "damning" and criticized the Trump Administration's mass deportation campaign for its excessive use of force, lack of medical and mental health care, and wasteful spending. The report also pointed out health issues at the facility, such as detainees with HIV or diabetes lacking treatment plans and improper tuberculosis screening procedures. The findings underscore the need for accountability and improvement in immigration detention practices.