The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlighted critical shortcomings in the Trump administration’s management of immigrant detainees at Fort Bliss Army base, Texas. This facility, Camp East Montana, faced serious issues such as financial waste, poor sanitation, inadequate tuberculosis controls, and a missing firearm.
Investigation Findings
Between August 2025 and March 2026, Camp East Montana reported multiple incidents, including two deaths. An autopsy revealed that a January asphyxiation death was a homicide, sparking a criminal investigation. Another detainee took their life in January after being left unattended for longer than 15 minutes. Additionally, in January, a security guard misplaced a loaded firearm, which remained unlocated by March.
Chronic health conditions were mismanaged, with detainees lacking treatment plans for illnesses like HIV and diabetes.
Facility Capacity and Mismanagement
Camp East Montana, the largest ICE detention facility, can house 5,000 detainees. The GAO attributed its issues to rushed construction and contracting:
- The Army and ICE quickly awarded a construction contract, leading to operational problems.
- This approach resulted in resource waste and endangered detainees and staff.
The Defense Department touted the facility as the largest federal detention center upon its announcement. A contract up to $1.2 billion was given to a company without detention experience. There was no contract flexibility to adjust costs when the facility was below capacity, leading to wasted funds.
From Aug. 1 to Aug. 15, 2025, with no detainees, up to $11.5 million was spent on unnecessary services. After operations began, $423,000 was wasted on surplus meals until Sept. 30, 2025.
Oversight and Response
ICE took over and spent $7.1 million on unneeded meals from Oct. 1, 2025, to March 12, 2026. The absence of a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan hindered contract oversight and problem-solving.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE is contracting a new provider for enhanced standards, medical care, staffing, and oversight.
Recommendations and Actions
GAO recommended ICE adopt flexible contracts and ensure new facilities meet standards, while DHS and the Army should apply lessons learned. The Defense Department agreed to implement these but contested the GAO’s reliance on ICE information. The GAO maintained its findings showing DHS and Army decisions led to Camp East Montana’s problems. The Army had no additional comments.