A government watchdog has uncovered significant problems at the Fort Bliss Army base in Texas, related to the Trump administration’s handling of immigrant detainees. Problems highlighted include millions of dollars in waste, unsanitary conditions, inadequate tuberculosis control, and a missing firearm.
From August 2025 to March 2026, the facility, known as Camp East Montana, experienced several serious incidents. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigated two deaths during this period. An autopsy labeled one detainee’s death by asphyxiation in January as a homicide, resulting in a criminal investigation. Another detainee committed suicide in January after being unattended for over 15 minutes, as per the report.
In a January incident, a security guard misplaced a loaded firearm inside the facility, and as of March, the gun had not been located.
The GAO also reported a lack of proper care for detainees with chronic health conditions, citing insufficient treatment plans for individuals with HIV or diabetes.
Camp East Montana, the largest detention facility operated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, holds up to 5,000 detainees. The GAO connected the issues to a hastily executed construction and contracting process.
The GAO report criticized the planning and acquisition approach adopted by the Army and ICE, which, while quick, resulted in negative outcomes during facility operations.
The report highlighted unnecessary expenditure of government resources, compromising the health and safety of detained noncitizens and facility staff. Despite being announced as the largest federal detention center, the Defense Department’s $1.2 billion contract was given to a contractor lacking experience in detention services.
According to the GAO, the contract lacked flexibility to adjust expenses when the facility was underused. This resulted in wastage of up to $11.5 million from August 1 to August 15, 2025, on unused meals, transportation, guards, and medical services.
Further costs of $423,000 occurred for unused meals from the start of operations until September 30, 2025. After ICE assumed control, $7.1 million was spent on excess meals from October 1, 2025, to March 12, 2026.
The contract did not include a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan, necessary for monitoring contractor performance and quality. ICE officials acknowledged the oversight difficulties created by this omission.
In response, the Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE is hiring a new contractor for the facility, aiming to maintain high detention standards and provide more on-site medical care. The new contract will enhance staff presence and incorporate a quality assurance plan, ensuring greater oversight of contractors.
Issues of cleanliness were also reported, with some guards allegedly offering cookies to detained noncitizens as an incentive to clean their own dormitories.
The GAO recommended that ICE seek flexible contracts, ensure compliance with standards for new facilities, and that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Army extract lessons for future acquisitions.
The Defense Department expressed willingness to implement these recommendations but disputed the GAO report’s reliance on ICE official information. The GAO countered that DHS and the Army made decisions that led to Camp East Montana’s challenges. The Army offered no further response beyond the report.