Disturbing Conditions Revealed at ICE's Largest Detention Facility

911 calls detail attempted suicides, fights, and medical neglect at Camp East Montana in Texas

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Hundreds of 911 calls from staff at Camp East Montana, the nation's largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility, reveal a disturbing portrait of overcrowding, medical neglect, malnutrition, and emotional distress among detainees. The facility, hastily constructed last summer, has faced allegations of violating federal standards for immigration detention, with detainees describing unsanitary living conditions, lack of access to medication and healthcare, and a culture of fear and violence.

Why it matters

The issues at Camp East Montana highlight the broader problems within the U.S. immigration detention system, which has faced growing criticism for its harsh conditions and treatment of detainees, many of whom have no criminal record. The facility's struggles also raise questions about the oversight and accountability of private contractors tasked with operating these detention centers.

The details

The 911 calls detail a range of medical emergencies and incidents of violence at the facility, including attempted suicides, seizures, fights between detainees, and a pregnant woman in severe pain who had not received any prenatal care. Detainees also reported issues with obtaining medication, losing weight due to inadequate food, and living in fear of the private security guards. One detainee even alleged that guards were placing bets on which detainee would be the next to die by suicide.

  • On January 3, ICE said security guards responded after a 55-year-old Cuban man tried to harm himself and then used handcuffs and force to restrain him. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by asphyxia.
  • On January 14, staff reported that a 36-year-old Nicaraguan man died by suicide days after he was detained while working in Minnesota.

The players

Camp East Montana

The nation's largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility, located at Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army base outside El Paso, Texas.

Owen Ramsingh

A former property manager in Columbia, Missouri, who spent several weeks in the camp before his deportation in February to the Netherlands.

Veronica Escobar

A Democratic U.S. Representative from El Paso who has toured the camp several times and called for an investigation into the contractors operating the facility.

Geraldo Lunas Campos

A 55-year-old Cuban man who died by suicide at the facility, with the medical examiner ruling his death a homicide caused by asphyxia.

Roland Kusi

A 31-year-old detainee who fled Cameroon in 2022 to escape political violence.

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What they’re saying

“Every day felt like a week. Every week felt like a month. Every month felt like a year. Camp East Montana was 1,000% worse than a prison.”

— Owen Ramsingh, Former detainee

“It's not easy in here, psychologically. You just keep thinking, like all the time, you're thinking and thinking for a solution. … It's really mentally draining.”

— Roland Kusi, Detainee

“This facility should not be operational. It feels like this contractor is reinventing the wheel, and people are losing their lives in their experiment.”

— Veronica Escobar, U.S. Representative

What’s next

The Washington Post reported that ICE is considering a plan to close the Camp East Montana facility, though no timeline has been announced. Lawmakers and advocates continue to call for an investigation into the contractors operating the detention center and the conditions detainees have faced.

The takeaway

The disturbing conditions revealed at Camp East Montana underscore the broader issues plaguing the U.S. immigration detention system, where many detainees with no criminal records are subjected to substandard living conditions, medical neglect, and a culture of fear and violence. This case highlights the need for greater oversight, accountability, and reform within the immigration detention system.