Texas Tent Camp
Overview
A coalition of civil-rights and human-rights organizations has accused officers at a tent-style immigration detention center known as Camp East Montana, located at the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas, of widespread abuse and inhumane conditions and the facility is currently housing migrants under the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies. The coalition’s report includes sworn testimony from more than 45 detainees and accompanying declarations that detail allegations of physical and sexual abuse, coerced deportations, medical neglect, and severe overcrowding.
Facility Capacity
Camp East Montana began operations in August 2025 with an initial capacity to house around 1,000 detainees and with declared plans to expand to up to 5,000 beds which would make it the largest immigration detention center in the United States. Reports indicate that as of early December 2025 the facility holds over 2,700 people. The site resides on a military base with a history of controversial use and critics note that its repurposing for mass detention raises long-standing concerns about oversight, transparency, and humanitarian risk.
Sexual Abuse
The coalition’s letter describes multiple instances of excessive force by officers including severe beatings, sexual contact during force, and other forms of physical violence. A teenager using the pseudonym “Samuel” alleges that guards slammed him to the ground, caused a broken tooth, crushed his testicles, and forcibly inserted fingers into his ears, leaving him with lasting hearing damage. Another detainee, identified pseudonymously as “Isaac” and said to be from Cuba, recounts being struck and then transported under guard to the U.S.–Mexico border together with around 20 others with instructions to cross into Mexico under threat of further detention or imprisonment.
Third-Country
The allegations extend to forced or coerced deportations to “third countries” where detainees reportedly have no legal ties or protections. Detainees say officers threatened them with imprisonment or further abuse if they refused to cross the border into Mexico. Legal experts and advocates argue such practices violate established standards for deportations and asylum hearings under U.S. law.
Neglect & Shortages
Testimonies describe serious deficiencies in living conditions: tents housing many detainees in unsanitary conditions, frequent floods with sewage or contaminated water in sleeping and bathing areas, rationed or spoiled food, lack of adequate hygiene supplies, and inconsistent or absent medical care. Detainees report that basic needs such as clean water, functioning showers, soap, toilet paper, and clean clothing have been insufficient or unavailable. Individuals with serious health conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure report long waits for medication or denial of care until collapse or acute crisis occurs. The access to legal counsel appears limited due to technological constraints noticed, restricted visitation, and a grossly inadequate ratio of attorneys to detainees which undermines due process for many held at the facility.
Official Response
ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have rejected the allegations and claim that detainees at Camp East Montana receive proper meals, medical treatment, access to legal representation, communication with family, and appropriate hygiene services. DHS spokespersons have characterized media and advocacy reports as false and misleading and they defend the facility as compliant with existing standards for detention.
Oversight, & Transparency
Members of Congress and numerous advocacy organizations argue that use of a large tent-based detention center on a military base creates structural impediments to oversight and accountability. Reports indicate that oversight visits requested by congressional staff were cancelled abruptly within 24 hours of the planned date citing operational pressures which raises concern about transparency and compliance with statutory oversight obligations. Advocates demand immediate closure of Camp East Montana citing the constellation of alleged abuses and conditions as incompatible with constitutional protections and international human rights standards.
Reported Death
A detainee at Camp East Montana, identified as Francisco Gaspar Andres, age 48 and from Guatemala, died at an El Paso hospital on December 2, 2025, with liver and kidney failure listed as the cause, although the official cause of death remains pending. ICE reports that the individual had been previously treated for alcohol withdrawal upon entry to U.S. custody and released, and that he was re-detained later; ICE labels the death as due to natural causes.
Broader Context
The establishment of Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss represents a key element in a broader expansion of militarized immigration detention infrastructure under present U.S. policy, with the site contracted under a multi-billion-dollar agreement to house migrants in large numbers including single adults undergoing removal proceedings or with final orders of removal. Advocates argue that this model, large-scale detention on military bases with tent-style housing and restricted oversight, constitutes a significant shift away from traditional detention paradigms and raises heightened risks of systemic abuse, neglect, and human rights violations.
Conclusion
Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss has been identified by multiple human-rights and civil-liberties organizations as the site of serious alleged abuse, coercive deportations, and neglect affecting detainees held by ICE. The facility’s size, structure, and operational opacity have drawn calls from lawmakers and advocacy groups for its immediate closure and for independent oversight. Government officials deny the allegations, stating that the facility meets required standards. The serious reports of physical abuse, harsh conditions, and a recent detainee death underscore urgent concerns about the treatment of migrants and the broader implications for immigration detention practices in the United States.
📰 News On TTC ICE
+ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/09/texas-ice-camp-abuse-immigration
