‘Lone Star Lockup’ Detention Center Opens at Fort Bliss, Texas

(EL PASO, TEXAS) The federal government has opened the “Lone Star Lockup,” officially Camp East Montana, at Fort Bliss in El Paso—an immense detention complex built to hold 5,000 people, which would make it the largest immigrant detention center in U.S. history. The center opened August 14, 2025, and is still scaling up operations, with full build-out scheduled by September 30, 2027. It is a hard-wall, permanent facility for single adult migrants who have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges and who already have final deportation orders. No families or children will be detained at this site.

Backed by a $1.26 billion contract, including $232 million in Army funds, the project sits at the heart of the Trump administration’s expanded detention and mass deportation push. The contractor, Acquisition Logistics LLC, is a small, disadvantaged, minority veteran-owned business from Virginia. Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson called the site “the largest federal detention center in history for this critical mission—the deportation of illegal aliens.” ICE says the facility will follow its detention standards, including access to legal counsel, visits, and medical services, and will speed up removals for people with final orders.

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), who toured the complex on August 11, said the Lone Star Lockup is focused on detaining individuals with criminal backgrounds and described it as “humane, safe, and a vast improvement” over past options. Local leaders disagree. The El Paso County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to oppose the facility, citing concerns over transparency, staffing, treatment of detainees, and pressure on local infrastructure. That split—federal and state officials praising capacity and speed, local officials warning of harm and limited oversight—frames the first weeks of operations at Camp East Montana.

Facility scope and operations

Camp East Montana sits on federal land at Fort Bliss and is designed as a permanent complex, not a temporary tent camp. The build includes legal, medical, and recreational space.

ICE says the center will accept single adults who meet strict intake criteria: criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, and a final order of deportation already in place. In practice, that means the facility is positioned at the end of the pipeline, aiming to move people quickly from detention to removal.

Key numbers define the ambition and scale:

• Capacity: 5,000 beds
• Opening: August 14, 2025 (ramping toward full operations)
• Completion target: September 30, 2027
• Contract value: $1.26 billion, with $232 million from the Army

National context adds weight. ICE detention now holds more than 60,000 people across the United States, a record level. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, federal planners see the Lone Star Lockup as a pressure valve for crowded facilities and a hub that can help standardize detention conditions and removal timelines.

ICE emphasizes that detention standards apply at Fort Bliss as they do elsewhere, promising access to legal calls and visits, medical care, and recreation, along with grievance systems and inspections. The agency points to adherence with detention standards available at its site: https://www.ice.gov/detention-standards. Supporters argue that concentrating this population at a single, modern site can reduce transfers and make court coordination more predictable.

Important: ICE asserts access to legal counsel, medical care, and grievance mechanisms, but local advocates and officials say transparency and independent oversight are critical for verifying those claims.

Local response and policy context

Local officials say they were not given enough detail before the opening and worry about oversight. The county’s resolution calls for scheduled inspections, transparent reporting on medical staffing and use-of-force incidents, and clear channels for attorney access.

The El Paso County Commissioners Court also raised the risk that a large new detention hub could strain emergency services and nearby infrastructure if staffing or operations fall short.

Officials at the federal level cast the picture differently. They argue the center is built for a narrow population and a defined purpose: people already ordered removed, who also have criminal histories or pending charges. Senator Cornyn urged structured, regular inspections while reaffirming support for the center’s mission. Wilson at the Pentagon highlighted the scale of the build as a mark of national commitment to stepped-up removals under President Trump.

The Lone Star Lockup sits within a broader policy shift. Highlights:

• Administration has expanded detention capacity and accelerated removals.
• Comparable projects referenced in other states include Florida (“Alligator Alcatraz”) and Indiana (“Speedway Slammer”).
• Fort Bliss construction proceeded after contract cancellations and restarts in early 2025 amid political and logistical disputes.
• Texas’s Operation Lone Star (state-led) runs parallel to federal actions, linking state policing, jail operations, and court support to immigration enforcement.

Supporters argue this layered approach increases public safety and speeds removals. Opponents call it a detention-first model that risks harm and weakens oversight.

What it means for people in detention

For migrants who meet the intake rules, Camp East Montana could change the day-to-day experience of detention in several ways:

• Concentration of cases: A large center with court access, medical services, and attorney visitation rooms can group similar cases and may speed up scheduling.
• Fewer transfers: With a high bed count, some people may avoid long-distance transfers that disrupt legal counsel and family contact.
• Stricter focus: Because intake is limited to single adults with criminal convictions or pending charges and final orders, removal timelines may be shorter for many held there.

Families should know the facility will not hold children or family units. Community groups in El Paso worry that a site this large can become hard to monitor, even with inspections. They want public reports on staffing, medical care, and incident reviews.

Advocates stress the human stakes: a person’s access to a lawyer and to medical care can shape outcomes, even in the final stage before removal. Opponents also warn that describing the facility as “streamlining” removals could mean less time to correct errors, particularly for people with pending criminal cases that might alter their deportation status.

ICE says attorney access and visitation at Fort Bliss will follow agency standards. The agency describes a process that includes:

1. Legal call rooms for confidential phone access
2. In-person visiting hours and visiting rooms
3. Posted grievance procedures and monitoring

Supporters claim these features make the center more orderly and safer than older or temporary facilities. Opponents contend that concentrated facilities can reduce the time available to identify and correct legal or medical issues.

Funding, procurement, and oversight concerns

Funding and procurement raise their own questions. With $1.26 billion committed and final completion set for 2027, El Paso leaders want a formal role in oversight over the next two years.

Local demands and federal expectations:

• El Paso leaders seek scheduled inspections and transparent reporting.
• They want contingency plans for staffing shortages and medical surges.
• Lawmakers expect consistent reporting to Congress from the contractor and agencies.

The contractor, Acquisition Logistics LLC, is now a central player in a high-profile federal build. Lawmakers have signaled they will be watching the reporting and contract performance closely.

The broader picture and what comes next

The broader picture is one of scale. The United States now holds a record number of people in ICE detention nationwide. A site with 5,000 beds at Fort Bliss can shift case flow across the system.

Potential impacts:

• In theory, the center can shorten stays for people with final orders by gathering them in one place with removal logistics on-site.
• In practice, outcomes will depend on court capacity, flight scheduling, attorney access, and adherence to detention standards.

For now, operations at the Lone Star Lockup are ramping up. The debate around it is not. Federal and state leaders call it necessary; local officials and advocates demand stronger oversight and clearer data.

As the complex moves toward full capacity by late 2027, the questions raised in El Paso—about transparency, treatment, and cost—will follow Camp East Montana every step of the way.