Millions in Waste and Unsafe Conditions at ICE’s Camp East Montana
On June 10, 2026 a government watchdog report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) shone a harsh light on Camp East Montana, the nation’s largest immigration detention facility located on the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. The GAO findings reveal severe deficiencies in operations, medical care, and sanitation that not only wasted millions of taxpayer dollars but also endanger the health and safety of detainees.
Key findings emerged from a review of the facility’s early months of operation. The GAO documented wasteful spending on meals and services billed at full capacity while the detainee population was far below that level. In the first fifteen days of August 2025, the Army paid $11.5 million for meals when no detainees were present, and the contract failed to incorporate price adjustments for lower occupancy. The report also highlighted the absence of daily cleaning in dormitory units, leaving some rooms unsanitary during March 2026.
Moreover, the article’s statistics underscore critical gaps in health services. By December 2025, detainees with diabetes and HIV had no treatment plans, a situation that extended into early 2026 when the GAO noted that some screenings for chronic conditions had not been performed. The report further flagged failures in tuberculosis testing, with the facility relying on questionnaires instead of required skin tests, allowing an infected detainee to be housed among the general population. This lapse compounded the risk of a broader outbreak, which the GAO noted had indeed occurred later that year.
The safety climate at Camp East Montana also fell short of federal and standard expectations. The agency identified missing security cameras on the perimeter, blind spots in internal surveillance, and an understaffed monitoring post. These weaknesses contributed to an escape in October 2025, as well as a severe incident in January 2026, where a detainee was restrained by guards and died, an outcome the GAO determined was a homicide. Yet, the contractor failed to submit required use-of-force reports, and evidence related to the death was reported as missing or destroyed.
The GAO’s recommendations call for immediate reforms: incorporating cost‑saving tiered pricing, ensuring full compliance with health standards before occupancy, strengthening on‑site surveillance and security, and guaranteeing accurate reporting of use‑of‑force incidents. DHS and the Army have accepted many of these guidelines, although debates linger over the conclusions and accountability for the initial contractor’s lack of experience.
In response, ICE announced that it had terminated the original contract awarded to a small firm with no prior detention experience and replaced it with a new $453 million contract to Amentum Services. The agency emphasized that the new provider would enhance medical care capacity, increase staffing, and implement a rigorous quality‑assurance monitoring plan.
Despite administrative promises, advocacy groups and lawmakers argue that the heart of the problem lies in systemic oversight failures and rushed contracting that prioritizes expediency over safety. Senator Dick Durbin labeled the GAO findings “damning,” while Representative Veronica Escobar calls for more stringent oversight and possibly the closure of the facility. As public scrutiny intensifies, the GAO results underscore the broader debate over how immigration detention should balance operational efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and the humane treatment of detainees.
Ultimately, the report highlights a stark reality: unchecked waste, poor sanitation, and inadequate medical care not only squander public funds but also compromise the dignity and well-being of those in custody. The emerging narrative suggests that robust oversight and adherence to established health and safety standards are non‑negotiable pillars for any detention center operating under the smallest prong of public trust.