Federal Report: Largest US Immigration Detention Center Wasted Millions in Rushed Opening

Camp East Montana, which can hold approximately 5,000 detainees at Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, was rushed to completion in August 2025 under a $1.3 billion contract to support the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. A non-partisan Government Accountability Office report found that expedited timelines directed by senior leadership caused ICE and Army officials to prioritize low costs over quality, selecting a contractor without detention facility experience and a contract too inflexible to account for low occupancy. The facility spent up to $11.5 million on guards, medical services, meals, and transportation during its first half of August despite having no detainees. The GAO identified multiple deficiencies at opening, including missing perimeter security cameras, outdoor recreation areas, and lawyer visitation spaces, which ICE failed to catch because it did not inspect the facility before admitting detainees—contradicting agency policy. Additional problems emerged post-opening, including gaps in medical services, loss of a loaded firearm, and unsanitary conditions. Three deaths have occurred at the facility, with one case—Geraldo Lunas Campos on January 3, 2026—showing conflicting determinations: DHS called it an attempted suicide while the El Paso County medical examiner ruled it a homicide with evidence suggesting guards may have been involved.