GAO Report: ICE Wasted Millions at Largest ICE Facility

A scathing new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has revealed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) mismanaged millions of taxpayer dollars and endangered detainees at Camp East Montana, the nation’s largest immigration detention facility, located on the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. The GAO report, published June 9, documents a litany of failures including wasted funds, detainee deaths, destroyed evidence, lost firearms, and widespread medical neglect.

Background: A Facility Built in Haste

Camp East Montana opened in August 2025 as a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. The facility, which can hold up to 5,000 immigrants, was rushed into operation under expedited time frames directed by senior leadership, according to the GAO. According to NPR, the Army awarded a $1.3 billion contract to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a small contractor with no prior experience in immigration detention. The company’s 77-year-old CEO reportedly ran the business out of his private home.

Millions Wasted on Empty Beds

The GAO found that the Army failed to incorporate flexibilities in the contract to account for occupancy levels below maximum capacity, resulting in millions of dollars in waste. In one striking example, the Army paid full costs for meals during the first 15 days of August 2025 — when there were no detainees at the facility. As ABC News reported, the facility held only about 1,600 detained noncitizens at the end of February 2026, yet the contract required payment for services at full 5,000-person capacity.

In March 2026, ICE terminated the contract with Acquisition Logistics LLC and awarded a new $453 million contract to Amentum Services, which had been working as a subcontractor. However, the GAO noted it was “too early to assess” whether the new contract would resolve the issues, and that ICE had not yet incorporated cost-saving measures like tiered pricing into the new agreement.

Detainee Deaths and Destroyed Evidence

At least three people have died while in custody at Camp East Montana since its opening. One death — that of detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos — was initially reported as a “presumed suicide” but was later ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office, as NBC News reported.

The GAO report found that the contractor did not provide use-of-force and death reports to ICE as required, and that “evidence associated with the incident was missing or destroyed.” A footnote in the report indicates an ongoing criminal investigation involving the FBI and the inspector general.

Lost Loaded Firearm and Security Failures

In January 2026, a contracted security guard lost their loaded firearm at the facility. Despite several searches, as of March 2026 the weapon had not been recovered. The GAO report stated that the incident “exposed the staff, detained noncitizens, and the public to significant risk, including potential unauthorized access to firearms.”

The facility also opened without meeting key detention standards. It initially lacked perimeter security cameras, outdoor recreation areas, and spaces for detainees to meet with attorneys and family members. ICE did not identify these deficiencies because it failed to conduct a pre-occupancy inspection, as required by its own policy.

Medical Neglect and Disease Outbreaks

The ICE Health Services Corps found in December 2025 that the contractor failed to provide treatment to detainees with chronic conditions. None of the detainees with diabetes or HIV had treatment plans in place, and the facility could not accommodate detainees using wheelchairs. A contractor also failed to administer required tests for tuberculosis, instead relying on symptom questionnaires, leading to a noncitizen with tuberculosis being housed with the general population in November 2025.

As of the report’s publication, nearly 180 detainees at the facility were quarantined due to possible measles exposure. In February 2026, ICE inspectors found 49 violations to detention standards at Camp East Montana, including failure to “accurately document required checks to prevent significant self-harm and suicide.”

Political and Legal Fallout

The report has drawn sharp condemnation from lawmakers and civil rights advocates. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who requested the GAO report, called it “damning,” stating: “Excessive use of force, lacking medical and mental health care, and wasted taxpayer dollars are emblematic of this mass deportation scheme.”

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), whose district includes the facility, called for its closure. “Camp East Montana needs to be shut down, the contractor investigated, the crime of destruction of evidence referred to law enforcement,” she said in a statement.

In late May, the ACLU, ACLU of Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, and Farella Braun + Martel filed a federal lawsuit against ICE over conditions at the facility. Kyle Virgien, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU National Prison Project, described Camp East Montana as “nothing short of a civil rights catastrophe.”

DHS Response

The Department of Homeland Security defended the facility, stating that the new contractor would allow Camp East Montana to “continue abiding by the highest detention standards” with improved medical care and oversight. “Far from closing, Camp East Montana is upgrading,” a DHS spokesperson said.

What’s Next

The GAO made four recommendations, including that ICE incorporate cost-saving measures in detention facility contracts and develop controls to ensure new facilities are inspected before housing detainees. Both DHS and the Department of Defense concurred with the recommendations.

However, the report comes amid a broader crisis in ICE detention. At least 50 people have died in ICE custody during the current administration’s immigration crackdown, with Camp East Montana bearing a disproportionate share of fatalities. The outcome of the criminal investigation into the Lunas Campos death, the ACLU class-action lawsuit, and whether Congress will pursue legislative reforms remain key questions as the facility’s future hangs in the balance.