Lawmaker Escalates Allegations of Inhumane Conditions at Fort Bliss

(EL PASO, TEXAS) Congresswoman Veronica Escobar escalated her allegations of “inhumane conditions” at the nation’s largest immigration detention facility on November 7, 2025, sending a detailed letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. The letter targets Camp East Montana, a vast tent complex on Fort Bliss that opened in early August and can hold up to 5,000 people. Escobar represents El Paso, and her office says the complaints stem from ongoing reports by detainees and advocates who describe poor sanitation, inconsistent medical care, and limited access to congressional oversight.

Core allegations and facility overview

Escobar’s complaint — her second since the facility opened in August — outlines conditions she argues fall below federal standards:

• Dormitory pods reportedly house as many as 72 people and are cleaned only once every eight days.
• Detainees say unreliable laundry services have pushed them to wash clothes in facility showers.
• Complaints include foul-tasting drinking water and poor food quality, with some detainees reportedly skipping meals due to lack of dietary accommodations.
• The facility was built with a $1.24 billion price tag and opened amid rapid operations.

Her office reports these accounts come from multiple sources over several weeks, raising concerns about consistency and care in a large site on the Fort Bliss base.

Medical care and screenings

Medical access is central to the complaint.

• Escobar’s office documented a case of a detainee living with HIV who allegedly has not been receiving his medication.
• The letter asserts the medical unit appears to treat only the most ill detainees and that there are inconsistencies in how soon after arrival detainees receive initial medical screenings.
• For people with chronic conditions or those needing regular medications (for example, insulin or antiretrovirals), delays can be dangerous.

“Inconsistencies in initial screening timelines and medication access can shift detainees from stability to crisis,” civil rights attorneys and medical advocates say.

These allegations go to federal detention standards that require timely care and screenings.

Congressional access and oversight concerns

Escobar also raised alarms about limits on congressional oversight:

• Her office reports 21 unanswered case inquiries.
• A planned staff visit in September was canceled less than 24 hours before it was set to begin.

Members of Congress and their staff have authority to conduct oversight visits. Escobar’s office argues that cancellations and unanswered inquiries undermine federal accountability, especially given the facility’s scale and rapid launch.

Early operational problems and context

The opening weeks were described as chaotic:

• In early August, Camp East Montana was reportedly still an active construction site with machinery and dust and some key systems incomplete.
• Some toilets and sinks reportedly were not functioning initially.
• There was only one outdoor recreation area shared among about 1,200 detainees at launch.
• Sources said basic routines were hard to maintain while crews finished infrastructure.

The facility’s rapid stand-up was tied to a mass deportation operation initiated under the administration of President Trump, which funded the complex as a surge facility on the sprawling base east of El Paso.

DHS response

The Department of Homeland Security strongly rejected Escobar’s portrayal.

• In a statement issued in September, DHS called claims of “inhumane” conditions “categorically false.”
• DHS maintained that “all detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members.”
• The department did not directly address the reports of cleaning schedules or the canceled congressional visit but repeated that the facility meets federal standards and that oversight mechanisms are in place.
• ICE and DHS officials have said large complexes receive regular inspections and that any deficiencies are corrected promptly.

Debate over tented mega-sites

Camp East Montana’s tented design has fueled debate:

• Escobar’s office argues the facility’s size, limited recreational space at launch, and reports of broken fixtures show that capacity alone does not guarantee humane treatment.
• Supporters argue temporary, movable structures provide flexibility during surges and are necessary to scale operations with changing border numbers.

The disagreement deepened after Escobar’s second complaint, which contends that core problems remain despite time to stabilize operations since August.

Medical screening timelines and prescription access

Oversight experts say these issues are frequent flashpoints:

• Delays in initial medical checks can create cascading problems for care plans.
• Escobar’s letter points to “inconsistencies” in initial screening timing, which is especially concerning for detainees reliant on daily medications.
• The HIV-positive detainee case highlights questions about how Camp East Montana tracks, stores, and dispenses essential medications.

DHS’s denial did not address that specific example but maintained the facility meets care standards.

Food, water, and community concerns

Local groups in El Paso have voiced worry over daily living conditions:

• Reports of foul-tasting water and poor-quality meals, along with limited dietary options, may complicate care for people with health needs or religious requirements.
• Escobar’s office said some detainees have chosen to skip meals.
• DHS counters that all detainees receive proper meals but has not publicly shared menu details or water testing results.

This contrast highlights how allegations can multiply quickly, especially in a facility’s early months.

Access, casework, and ongoing dispute

Access disputes continue:

• Escobar’s office described a pattern of delayed or missing responses on constituent cases and said the last-minute cancellation of visits obstructs oversight.
• DHS maintains lawyers, family members, and congressional offices have channels to reach detainees and perform casework.

The conflict is likely to persist as more officials seek site visits and outside scrutiny grows.

Standards, references, and next steps

• Federal guidance: DHS points to ICE’s National Detention Standards for sanitation, medical care, and access requirements. See: ICE detention standards
• Advocates demand transparent reporting and independent audits, not just references to standards.
• VisaVerge.com reports that Escobar’s Nov. 7 letter is her second formal complaint since the August opening, underscoring persistent concerns.

What may happen next:

1. DHS could open another inspection round or invite outside monitors for an independent review.
2. Escobar is pressing for detailed answers on:
   • Cleaning schedules
   • Medical screening timelines
   • Medication management
   • The status of her office’s 21 pending case inquiries

For now, DHS stands by its position that the allegations are false and that detainees receive proper care, meals, and communication access. The gap between Escobar’s claims and DHS’s response sets up a test of oversight at Camp East Montana, where thousands are held on the edge of a city long affected by border enforcement realities.