- ICE plans to extend the no-bid contract for Camp East Montana through September 2027.
- The extension could add seven hundred seventy-six million dollars to total facility costs.
- Reports allege severe medical neglect and abuse despite the agency’s claims of operational necessity.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a notice of intent to extend the no-bid contract for Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, through September 30, 2027, potentially adding $776 million to the cost for taxpayers. The move preserves operations at the detention center despite reports of beatings, medical neglect and inedible food.
The agency said moving detainees elsewhere would be “impracticable” because other facilities lack enough beds. It also cited the contractor’s “proprietary infrastructure” and warned that changing providers could produce duplicative costs and operational disruptions.
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“Any lapse in contract coverage would directly threaten the life, safety, and well-being of detainees, severely disrupt law enforcement operations, and expose the government to substantial operational, legal, and humanitarian risks.”
The facility can hold up to 5,000 detainees. It has housed an average of more than 2,000 people daily since October 2025, according to the contract-related information.
The proposed extension would keep the site running under Amentum Services Inc., which took over the primary contract on March 13, 2026. The company replaced Acquisition Logistics LLC after the former operator faced reports of gross mismanagement and failure to meet national detention standards.
The extension could push payments above $1.2 billion
The contractor initially received a $452 million contract in March. If the extension runs through September 2027, total potential payments could exceed $1.2 billion.
The government is pursuing the arrangement as a sole-source procurement under 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1). That authority applies when an agency determines that only one responsible source can satisfy its immediate needs.
| Contract detail | Amount or date |
|---|---|
| Initial contract awarded to Amentum | $452 million |
| Proposed additional extension | $776 million |
| Potential total payments | More than $1.2 billion |
| Planned contract end date | September 30, 2027 |
| Contractor takeover | March 13, 2026 |
The notice says the existing operator’s infrastructure makes a transition difficult. The agency also said a lapse could threaten detainee safety, disrupt enforcement operations and expose the government to legal and humanitarian risks.
The department defended the original selection in March. An ICE spokesperson said the company had worked closely with the agency and was suited to take over as prime contractor.
“Amentum has been a close partner with ICE in managing Camp East Montana and was best suited to take over as the prime government contractor for this facility. Amentum’s size, maturity, and pedigree make them the right partner at the right time, and we will work closely with them in their implementation of higher standards of medical care, more thorough case processing and intake procedures, and delivery of performance requirements according to well-defined accountability measures.”
The agency also said it “will continue to ensure that all of the detainees in our custody receive the level of care, service, and medical support they need to match our high detention standards.”
Reports describe beatings, denied medication and crowded tents
A July 15 report from the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch, titled “You’re Only Getting Out Deported or Dead,” alleged routine beatings and excessive force by staff. It also described detainees being denied medical care and receiving meals they could not eat.
At least three deaths have been recorded at the facility. One detainee, Geraldo Lunas Campos, died after a struggle with guards, and authorities ruled the death a homicide.
Detainees reported being denied life-saving medication, including asthma inhalers. The groups also cited outbreaks of measles and tuberculosis.
The report described windowless tents as “filthy and cramped.” It said pods housed as many as 72 people, with limited access to sunlight and legal representation.
The allegations add pressure to demands that the facility close. Democratic lawmakers have joined those calls, including Rep. Veronica Escobar and Rep. Gabe Vasquez.
Escobar described the camp as a “human rights disaster.” Vasquez called it the “epitome of fraud, waste, and abuse.”
A federal watchdog also questioned spending and performance
A June 9, 2026 report from the Government Accountability Office identified waste and performance problems at the facility. The watchdog alleged that the government paid millions for unnecessary services and maintained bed space that went unused.
The site occupies a Fort Bliss Army post and uses “soft-sided” tents. Advocacy groups have also pointed to the location’s history: the same Fort Bliss site once housed Japanese-American internment camps during World War II.
That history has become part of the campaign against the detention center. The latest reports have focused on present conditions, including force by staff, access to care and the physical environment inside the tents.
The contract notice presents continuity as the government’s answer to those operational concerns. It says replacing the contractor could create duplicated costs, while the agency maintains that care standards must continue during any transition.
The extension would therefore leave the current operator in place while investigations, congressional criticism and advocacy campaigns continue. The planned term ends on September 30, 2027.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
