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Three detainees died at Camp East Montana; ACLU sues over abuse, neglect

Jun 9, 2026 · El Paso, TX

Three detainees died at Camp East Montana; ACLU sues over abuse, neglect

Camp East Montana, a 5,000-bed immigration detention facility at Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas—the nation's largest immigration detention center—has been the subject of legal action and government investigation following systemic failures. Four detainees filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of approximately 800 currently detained people and all future detainees, alleging physical assault by guards, sexual harassment, inadequate food, lack of daylight, medical neglect, and inappropriate use of force including solitary confinement. A Government Accountability Office report documented that the facility failed to meet ICE detention standards, with inadequate medical screening and care, unsanitary conditions, security failures including missing security cameras and perimeter surveillance blind spots, and disabled detainees unable to access ADA-compliant facilities. Three detainees died within six weeks to six months of the facility's operation, including a 55-year-old Cuban national whose death was ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner. Disease outbreaks including measles and tuberculosis occurred after the contractor failed to administer proper tuberculosis screening, and ICE inspectors documented nearly 50 detention standards violations.

Timeline

Jun 9, 2026Government Accountability Office report documents mismanagement, unsafe conditions, security failures, medical screening failures, and disease outbreaks; three detainee deaths documented
Jun 1, 2026ACLU and civil rights organizations file class action lawsuit against DHS on behalf of four detainees and approximately 800 currently detained people, alleging systemic abuse, medical neglect, and inappropriate use of force
2025Camp East Montana opens at Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas as nation's largest immigration detention facility

Sources

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