A federal watchdog report has found that the largest immigration detention center in the US wasted millions of dollars and endangered the lives of detainees, with severe violations including the destruction of evidence in a detainee death investigation.
The report, which focuses on Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, found that the facility, operated by Acquisition Logistics LLC and later by Amentum Services, billed for meals and operations at full capacity despite having a significantly lower detainee population.
Immigration Detention Facility Failures
The facility, which can hold up to 5,000 immigrants, has been plagued by problems since its opening in August 2025, including excessive use of force, inadequate medical and mental health care, and wasted taxpayer dollars.
Lawmakers, including Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., have called the report “damning” and are demanding action, with some calling for the facility to be shut down and the contractor investigated.
The report also found that at least three people have died while in custody at Camp East Montana, including one death that was ruled a homicide, with evidence associated with the incident missing or destroyed.
Reactions and Implications
The Department of Homeland Security has vowed to upgrade and improve the facility under the new contractor, Amentum Services, but immigration-rights advocates and lawmakers are skeptical, calling for more to be done to address the systemic problems at the facility.
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who has visited the facility, is calling for it to be shut down and the contractor investigated, saying that the facility’s problems are emblematic of a broader failure in the US immigration system.
