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Record Deaths and Systemic Failures at Camp East Montana: A Review of ICE Detention Center Operations

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ICE Detainee Deaths Reach Record High, Spotlight on Camp East Montana

29 detainee deaths have been reported in the current fiscal year, exceeding the previous record of 28 set in 2004. A significant portion centers on Camp East Montana, a massive facility at Fort Bliss, Texas.

National & Facility Overview

Record Number of Detainee Deaths

  • As of April, 29 individuals have died while in ICE custody during the current fiscal year, the highest number since 2004.
  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) states the death rate is 0.009% of the detained population, attributing the increase in raw numbers to a 70% rise in the detained population compared to the first year of the previous administration.
  • Approximately 60,000 to 70,000 people are currently in immigration detention — the highest figure since ICE was created in 2003.

The Camp East Montana Facility

  • Opened in August 2025, Camp East Montana is a tent facility on the U.S. Army's Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas.
  • It is currently the largest ICE detention center in the U.S., with a capacity for 5,000 individuals and an average population of around 3,000.
  • The initial $1.3 billion contract was awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a company with no prior detention facility experience. It was later replaced by a $453 million contract with Amentum Services, a former subcontractor.

Detainee Deaths Under Investigation

Three deaths at Camp East Montana have drawn intense scrutiny and conflicting official accounts.

Geraldo Lunas Campos

  • Date of Death: January 3
  • Profile: A 55-year-old Cuban national with prior criminal convictions.

Official Accounts: ICE initially said he died after "experiencing medical distress." DHS later claimed he attempted suicide and "violently resisted" security staff.

  • Autopsy Report: The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death a homicide due to "asphyxia due to neck and torso compression," noting evidence of a struggle and petechial hemorrhages.
  • Witness Accounts: Multiple detainees reported Lunas Campos was handcuffed and restrained by five guards, with one guard placing an arm around his neck. He was reportedly heard saying, "I cannot breathe," before losing consciousness.
  • Investigation: The FBI is investigating. An ICE Office of Professional Responsibility probe is on hold pending the FBI's review. No charges have been filed.

Victor Manuel Diaz

  • Date of Death: January 14
  • Profile: A 36-year-old Nicaraguan national.

Official Accounts: ICE reported his death as a "presumed suicide," stating he was found unconscious in his room.

  • Autopsy: Performed by the U.S. Army's medical examiner, not the local office. The family disputes the suicide account.
  • Related Findings: A GAO report noted Diaz was placed in a medical holding room without a vision panel (contrary to policy) and was left unattended for intervals longer than 15 minutes.

Francisco Gaspar-Andres

  • Date of Death: December 3
  • Profile: A 48-year-old Guatemalan national.
  • Cause of Death: ICE reported the cause as liver and kidney failure following a two-week hospitalization. The El Paso Medical Examiner is investigating.

Facility-Wide Operational Failures

GAO Investigation

A GAO report released Tuesday documented serious problems at Camp East Montana.

  • Rushed Opening: ICE rushed to open the camp in August 2024 before construction was complete. It lacked security cameras on the perimeter and had surveillance blind spots.
  • Contractor Waste: The Army wasted up to $11.5 million on guards, medical services, and meals before the camp held detainees.
  • Contractor Inexperience: Acquisition Logistics, a small contractor with no prior experience operating detention facilities, was awarded the contract.
  • Sanitary & Medical Conditions: The facility opened without ADA-compliant showers. Dormitories were cleaned weekly instead of daily. Skin tests for tuberculosis were replaced with a questionnaire, leading to an outbreak after a detainee with TB was housed in the general population.
  • Missing Evidence: Evidence in the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos was reported as missing or destroyed.
  • Escapes and Lost Firearm: A detainee escaped in October, and a security guard lost a loaded firearm inside the facility in January, which was never recovered.

ICE Inspections & Violations

In February 2025, ICE inspectors identified 49 violations of detention standards, including:

  • Inadequate medical care
  • Failure to document checks to prevent self-harm
  • Failure to respond to grievances about lack of medical care
  • Failure to document use-of-force incidents

DHS disputed the findings of these internal inspections.

Health Crises

  • A measles outbreak at the facility resulted in at least 14 confirmed cases and 112 individuals isolated. The facility was closed to visitors.
  • Tuberculosis and COVID-19 cases were also reported. Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX) stated that personnel were not observed wearing masks during oversight visits.

Legal Actions & Allegations

Federal Lawsuit

  • Four detainees filed a federal lawsuit on April 5, 2025, alleging human rights abuses, poor conditions, and medical neglect.
  • Allegations include severe beatings, sexual harassment, spoiled food, lack of hygiene products, and failure to provide timely medications for HIV, cancer, and diabetes.
  • The lawsuit seeks class-action status. Defendants include ICE Director Todd Lyons and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

Family Legal Actions

  • Attorneys for the family of Geraldo Lunas Campos have stated their intention to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
  • Attorneys for the family of Victor Manuel Diaz stated the GAO report strengthens a potential wrongful death claim.
  • Attorneys for the Lunas Campos family filed an emergency petition to prevent the deportation of two alleged witnesses. A federal judge granted the petition.

ACLU Report

  • In a December letter to ICE, the ACLU reported "alarming conditions of confinement and repeated instances of coercion, physical force, and threats against immigrants" based on interviews with over 45 individuals.

Official Responses & Statements

  • Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons: Stated, "No death is what we want. We don't want anyone to die in custody." He noted the agency spent nearly half a billion dollars last fiscal year on detainee care and stated detainees receive a complete physical within 14 days.
  • DHS Spokesperson: Called the allegations in the lawsuit "categorically false" and stated that ICE facilities comply with detention standards. In a separate statement, DHS said, "For many illegal aliens this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives" and encouraged detainees to "take control of their departure."
  • DHS on Contract Change: DHS stated that replacing Acquisition Logistics with Amentum Services will allow the facility to "abide by the highest detention standards" and provide more on-site medical care with increased oversight.

Political & Congressional Reaction

  • Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX): Has called for the closure of Camp East Montana and a Department of Justice investigation into Acquisition Logistics. She described the facility as experiencing "crisis after crisis."
  • Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): Called the GAO report's findings "damning," stating the mass deportation campaign created "conditions that shock the conscience."
  • Representative Kelly Morrison (D-MN): Visited the facility and reported witnessing conditions she described as cruel.
  • Democratic Lawmakers: Over two dozen members of Congress have called for the facility's closure and an investigation.