U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to keep one of its largest detention facilities open for at least another year despite calls to close it over reported human rights abuses, according to a notice published last week.

Camp East Montana, located at Fort Bliss Army base near El Paso, Texas, will continue operating under an extended no-bid contract with Amentum Services Inc. through Sept. 30, 2027, the notice says. The extension carries a potential additional cost of $776 million to taxpayers on top of the $452 million initial contract awarded in March.

The facility has housed an average of more than 2,000 male and female detainees daily since Oct. 1, according to ICE data, though its population has declined significantly in recent months.

What the Right Is Saying

ICE argued in its notice that relocating detainees to other facilities would be "impracticable" due to a lack of available bed space elsewhere. The agency stated that transitioning to a different contractor would require replacing Amentum's "proprietary infrastructure" and finding new workers, which would lead to duplicative costs.

"Any lapse in contract coverage would directly threaten the life, safety, and well-being of detainees, severely disrupt law enforcement operations, and expose the government to substantial operational, legal, and humanitarian risks," the notice says.

Supporters of the administration argue that secure detention capacity is necessary for immigration enforcement along the southern border. ICE's notice also noted that the Army's initial contract with Acquisition Logistics LLC "did not accurately reflect ICE's operational needs or the actual usage of the facility" and that Acquisition Logistics had no prior experience operating detention facilities.

The Trump administration has prioritized border security as a core policy objective since taking office in January 2025, though officials have not publicly commented specifically on conditions at Camp East Montana.

What the Left Is Saying

Democratic members of Congress and several advocacy organizations have called for Camp East Montana's closure for months, citing reports of detainee mistreatment since the facility opened in August 2025.

A report released earlier this month by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union alleged that staff routinely beat detainees, denied them medical care, made them live in filthy conditions, and fed them inedible meals. At least three Camp East Montana detainees have died.

"Extending Amentum's contract while ignoring well-documented abuses is reckless and demonstrates the Trump administration's full-scale assault on human rights," said Angélica César, a fellow at Human Rights Watch and the ACLU who was a lead researcher for the report. "Instead of holding private contractors accountable, DHS is choosing to perpetuate a system of harm and abuse."

Advocates argue that the no-bid contract process shields Amentum from accountability and prevents alternatives from being considered.

What the Numbers Show

$776 million: Potential additional cost of the contract extension through Sept. 30, 2027

$452 million: Initial contract awarded to Amentum Services Inc. in March 2026

More than $1.2 billion: Total potential payment to Amentum if it operates the camp from March 2026 through September 2027

Over 2,000: Average daily detainee population at Camp East Montana since Oct. 1, according to ICE data

3: Number of detainees who have died at the facility

The notice states that Acquisition Logistics was "hastily installed" to take over camp operations before being removed for poor performance. Federal agencies have also found unsafe detention conditions and that the Army and ICE have wasted millions of dollars paying for unnecessary services.

The Bottom Line

The contract extension keeps Camp East Montana operating as one of the largest immigration detention facilities in the country while ongoing investigations into alleged abuses continue. Amentum, a Virginia-based company, stands to receive more than $1.2 billion in total payments if the full contract period runs through September 2027.

Congressional Democrats and human rights advocates are likely to continue pressing for facility closure hearings and additional oversight of detention conditions. The Trump administration has defended the no-bid extension by citing operational necessity and the challenges of relocating thousands of detainees to other facilities.