GAO Report Finds Oversight Failures at Camp East Montana but Notes Contractor Has Been Replaced

The Government Accountability Office released a report on Tuesday that documented oversight failures at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Three detainees died at the site in little more than six months. A detainee escaped in October due to the contractor’s oversight failure, the report said.

In January a security guard lost a loaded firearm inside the facility that was never recovered. The contractor failed to administer tuberculosis skin tests and instead relied on a questionnaire. A detainee with tuberculosis was housed with the general population, which later suffered an outbreak.

Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant, died in January after being held down by guards. Evidence associated with the death was missing or destroyed. An outside autopsy ruled the death a homicide due to asphyxia.

Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old Nicaraguan detainee, died by suicide on January 14. Staff placed him in a medical holding room instead of a suicide-resistant cell and left him unattended for intervals longer than 15 minutes. The contractor failed to install vision panels in the room that had been requested months earlier.

ICE rushed to open the facility in August before construction was complete. The camp lacked security cameras on the perimeter and had other surveillance blind spots. It could not accommodate detainees using wheelchairs and had no showers compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Disabled detainees were held in medical care rooms. The recreation area was unavailable for several days after opening. The law library, space to meet with attorneys, and a visitation area did not open for weeks.

Detainees did not receive comprehensive health assessments. The contractor cleaned dormitories weekly rather than daily as required. Some guards offered detainees cookies if they would clean their own rooms.

The contractor did not provide use-of-force and death reports to ICE as required. The Trump administration routed the contract through the Army to speed construction after ICE twice failed to award one. 3 billion contract despite having no prior experience operating detention facilities.

ICE called the situation a significant learning curve. 5 million for guards, medical services, transportation, and meals in the weeks before the camp held any detainees. The contract required payment for meals for the maximum population of 5,000 even when the number of detainees dropped to around 1,600.

The facility’s population averaged about half of its 5,000 capacity from October until April. The GAO opened its review at the request of Democrats in the House and Senate. Sen. ” The Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE has replaced the contractor.

DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis said the new contractor will allow the facility to continue abiding by the highest detention standards with the ability to provide more medical care on-site. An investigation by ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility into the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos is on hold pending a criminal investigation by the FBI.

GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency in Congress that investigates how federal funds are spent.