The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on June 9 detailing that the Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility at Camp East Montana spent $11.5 million on guards, medical services, transportation, and meals weeks before detainees were housed there. The sprawling tent camp at Fort Bliss in El Paso opened prematurely in August, leading to unsafe conditions and three detainee deaths in just over six months, according to fortune.com.
The GAO report highlights that ICE rushed to open the facility before construction was complete and failed to conduct proper oversight to ensure sanitary conditions and adequate medical care for detainees. One detainee, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who died in January after being restrained by guards, had evidence related to his death that was either missing or destroyed. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that ICE replaced the contractor managing the facility to improve standards and medical care, as stated by DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis.
Camp East Montana quickly became the nation’s largest immigration detention center but faced criticism for dangerous conditions, echoing previous investigations by The Associated Press and other outlets. The GAO report also revealed previously undisclosed incidents, including a detainee escape in October. The findings underscore ongoing challenges in managing large detention facilities and the consequences of insufficient oversight and premature openings.
The DHS statement emphasized that the new contractor would help Camp East Montana meet the highest detention standards and provide enhanced on-site medical care. The GAO report was published on June 9, marking a significant federal review of the facility’s operations and expenditures prior to detainee intake.