ICE Terminating Contract for Troubled El Paso Detention Camp

The agency is drafting a letter to end the $1.2 billion contract for Camp East Montana, which has faced issues like a measles outbreak and detainee deaths.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 3:56pm

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is terminating its $1.2 billion contract for Camp East Montana, a controversial immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas. A document obtained by the Washington Post indicates ICE is drafting a letter to potentially end the facility's contract, though it will remain open under a new operator. The camp has faced issues like a measles outbreak and the deaths of three detainees since December.

Why it matters

The potential closure of Camp East Montana comes after years of controversy and concerns over the facility's operations, including inadequate medical care, detainee deaths, and a measles outbreak. The decision to terminate the contract reflects growing scrutiny over the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies and the conditions at ICE detention centers across the country.

The details

According to the Washington Post report, ICE is drafting a letter to terminate the $1.2 billion contract with Acquisition Logistics LLC, the current operator of Camp East Montana. However, the facility will remain open under a new contract awarded to Amentum Services Inc. to provide housing, medical care, and transportation for detainees. The original contract with Acquisition Logistics LLC was set to expire in 2027 but is now being terminated early. The camp has faced significant issues, including a measles outbreak with at least 14 cases and the deaths of three detainees since mid-December, one of which was ruled a homicide.

  • The original $1.2 billion contract with Acquisition Logistics LLC was set to expire on September 30, 2027.
  • A new contract was awarded to Amentum Services Inc. on Wednesday to take over operations at Camp East Montana.

The players

Acquisition Logistics LLC

The company that previously held the $1.2 billion contract to operate Camp East Montana.

Amentum Services Inc.

The company that was awarded a new contract to provide housing, medical care, and transportation for detainees at Camp East Montana.

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar

The Democratic Congresswoman from El Paso who has called Camp East Montana the 'epitome of fraud, waste, [and] abuse' and has led calls to close the facility.

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What they’re saying

“The Trump administration has used El Paso as ground zero for its sick, twisted immigration enforcement policies for years, and Camp East Montana is no different.”

— U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democratic Congresswoman from El Paso (elpasomatters.org)

What’s next

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the agency is reviewing the facility's contract, but no decision has been made about its extension or termination.

The takeaway

The potential closure of Camp East Montana reflects growing scrutiny over the conditions and operations at ICE detention centers, particularly those that have faced significant issues like inadequate medical care, detainee deaths, and disease outbreaks. The decision to terminate the contract could signal a shift in the Biden administration's approach to immigration enforcement and detention policies.