The largest ICE detention center in the country lost track of a loaded firearm, did not provide treatment to detainees with chronic health conditions and failed to test immigrants for tuberculosis, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office published Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The investigation from the congressional watchdog found \u201cserious performance and oversight challenges\u201d at Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss, which is outside El Paso, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In one case, evidence associated with the death of a detainee was missing or destroyed, according to the report. That death was announced as a \u201cpresumed suicide\u201d at the time, but later the local coroner determined it was a homicide. It is now under investigation by the FBI and the inspector general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tented facility has had a troubled history since it opened on the Army base less than a year ago in August, starting with a fatal construction accident and three detainee deaths in less than six weeks, including the death ruled a homicide. There have also been outbreaks of both tuberculosis and measles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The GAO said that after ICE took over contract administration responsibilities at Camp East Montana from the Army in October, it continued to not meet contractual requirements. ICE itself issued eight discrepancy reports and one oversight report for Camp East Montana that identified \u201cserious problems\u201d at the facility, according to the GAO. Discrepancy reports formally document performance issues by facility operators, which are then required to propose and take corrective actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the discrepancy reports stated that in January 2026, a contracted security guard \u201clost their loaded firearm at the facility\u201d and that according to an ICE official, \u201cdespite several searches of the facility, as of March 2026 the firearm had not been recovered,\u201d the GAO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The investigation said that, according to ICE officials, as of March the agency was still waiting for the contractor to respond to some of the reports. The report does not name any contractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another discrepancy report issued by ICE found that a contractor had not administered required tests for tuberculosis and instead relied on symptom questionnaires, leading to a noncitizen with tuberculosis being housed with the general population in November, the GAO report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In December, ICE Health Services Corps found that the contractor did not follow up with comprehensive health assessments and, as a result, \u201cdetained noncitizens with chronic conditions did not receive treatment and care in accordance with National Detention Standards,\u201d the GAO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor example, none of the detained noncitizens with diabetes or HIV had treatment plans in place,\u201d the investigation said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An ICE discrepancy report from February regarding the death of the detainee that was determined by the local coroner to be a homicide found that the contractor did not provide use-of-force and death reports to ICE, as required, the GAO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn addition, evidence associated with the incident was missing or destroyed,\u201d the investigation said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In mid-March, ICE terminated the contractor it had running the facility, Acquisition Logistics LLC. The company had no previous experience running an immigration detention center, and its 77-year-old CEO appeared to run the business out of his private home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acquisition Logistics did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBoth the Army and DHS made decisions that contributed to the serious challenges at Camp East Montana,\u201d the report states. \u201cAs a result, we continue to believe that both agencies should assess the acquisition and identify lessons learned to inform future acquisitions in support of ICE\u2019s detention efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement that ICE contracted with a new provider \u201cfollowing the termination of the old contract inherited from the Department of War.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cICE is always looking at ways to improve our detention facilities to ensure we are providing the best care to illegal aliens in our custody,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis new contractor will allow Camp East Montana to continue abiding by the highest detention standards WITH the ability to provide MORE medical care on-site,\u201d the statement said. \u201cICE will have even more oversight of the contractors at this facility. Far from closing, Camp East Montana is upgrading.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Late last month, the American Civil Liberties Union and other legal organizations filed a lawsuit against ICE over allegations of inhumane conditions at the facility, including \u201csevere medical neglect, diseases outbreaks, dangerous and unsanitary conditions, use of force by officers among other issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese findings confirm some of what I have been sounding the alarm about since it first opened ten months ago, but incredulously, doesn\u2019t come close to identifying everything I\u2019ve discovered and shared with the public during my oversight visits,\u201d Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCamp East Montana needs to be shut down, the contractor investigated, the crime of destruction of evidence referred to law enforcement, and Republicans should work with us to redirect these funds to meet the needs of hardworking Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n