A new report by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union documents widespread allegations of abuse at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Texas, with detainees describing frequent beatings by guards, denial of medical care, and inhumane living conditions.
The 84-page report, issued Wednesday, focuses on Camp East Montana located at Fort Bliss in El Paso. Researchers contacted 71 detainees over a five-month period. According to the report, 64 individuals — approximately 90% of those interviewed — said they had either personally been assaulted by staff or had witnessed others physically abused.
The facility opened in August and has held migrants awaiting immigration proceedings. The report also alleges detainees were prevented from contacting lawyers or family members, forced to live in unsanitary conditions, and fed inedible meals with delays of up to 12 hours between servings.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates have pointed to the findings as evidence of systemic failures in federal detention operations. Human Rights Watch fellow Angélica César, a lead researcher on the report, called Camp East Montana 'a human rights disaster' and said the U.S. government should shut it down, conduct independent investigations into all abuses and deaths in custody, and end mass deportations and mandatory immigration detention.
César said the abuses are 'the predictable outcome of the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda, its brutal expansion of immigration detention, and the erosion of federal oversight mechanisms.' She argued that detainees at the camp 'are human beings who deserve to be treated with dignity and protected from harm.'
The ACLU and Human Rights Watch have called on the Trump administration to close Camp East Montana and allow independent investigations into deaths in custody, excessive force, medical neglect, and what they describe as potential enforced disappearances. The organizations argue that federal oversight of immigration detention has been insufficient under current policies.
What the Right Is Saying
Supporters of the administration's immigration enforcement priorities have pointed to operational challenges at border facilities while questioning some aspects of facility conditions reporting. Some Republican voices have noted that facilities handling high volumes of detainees during record migration periods face difficult circumstances, and have called for improved contractor oversight rather than facility closures.
The administration has defended its mass deportation agenda as necessary for national security and public safety. Immigration enforcement advocates argue that detention capacity is essential for ensuring migrants appear for court proceedings and for processing removal orders efficiently.
Critics of the report's methodology note that interviews were conducted with a subset of detainees over five months, and have called for full federal investigations into conditions rather than advocacy group audits alone. Some Republican lawmakers have pushed for increased funding for detention facility infrastructure while demanding accountability for contractor failures.
What the Numbers Show
Of 71 detainees contacted by Human Rights Watch and ACLU researchers over five months, 64 — about 90% — reported personal assault or witnessing physical abuse of others.
At least three detainees have died at the facility since it opened in August. One death involved a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who was handcuffed and stopped breathing after being held down by guards; a local medical examiner ruled that death a homicide.
A Government Accountability Office report issued last month found evidence in one detainee death case was 'missing or destroyed.' The GAO determined mismanagement by the Department of Homeland Security created unsafe conditions contributing to detainee deaths and suffering, while millions in funds were misspent on contractors.
An internal ICE review documented 49 deficiencies at the facility, defined as violations of detention standards or policies, including issues with use of force, restraints, security, and medical care. The prime contractor, Acquisition Logistics LLC, was replaced in March after receiving a contract worth up to $1.3 billion despite having no prior experience running an ICE detention facility and never winning a federal contract exceeding $16 million.
The Bottom Line
The Human Rights Watch and ACLU report adds to documented concerns about conditions at Camp East Montana that have been consistent with earlier reporting by the Associated Press and others. Federal investigators have identified mismanagement, contractor oversight failures, and safety deficiencies at the facility.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, had not responded to requests for comment on the latest report as of publication. The administration faces calls from advocacy groups to close the facility while Republicans have pushed for improved oversight and contractor accountability.
What happens next: Congress may hold hearings examining detention conditions and contractor procurement practices. Watch for responses from DHS officials and any additional federal investigations into deaths at the facility.