Congressman Decries Dire Conditions at ICE Detention Center

Lawmaker says migrants must be 'on the ground dying' before receiving medical care at facility with measles outbreak

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:49pm

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A cinematic painting of a lone immigration detention center building, its facade bathed in warm light and deep shadows, conveying a sense of isolation and melancholy.A somber scene of an immigration detention center, its austere architecture and isolation reflecting the human toll of the nation's immigration policies.El Paso Today

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-New Mexico, renewed calls for the Trump administration to close an immigration detention center in Fort Bliss, Texas after touring the facility. Vasquez said the conditions at the ICE detention center, known as Camp East Montana, are 'beneath our American values', with detainees reporting they must be 'on the ground dying' before receiving medical care. The facility has seen a measles outbreak and at least three, possibly four, migrant deaths since opening just a few months ago.

Why it matters

The congressman's visit and allegations of substandard medical care and poor conditions at the ICE detention center highlight ongoing concerns about the treatment of migrants in U.S. custody, particularly at facilities that have rapidly expanded under the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies.

The details

During his tour, Vasquez said he heard from detainees that a fourth migrant may have died at the facility, though ICE would not confirm that. The congressman also noted the facility has downsized from holding up to 4,000 migrants to now housing only 820. While the Trump administration had previously considered closing Camp East Montana, ICE later denied that and said a new contractor would be running the facility and upgrading it. Vasquez criticized the lack of mental health resources at the overcrowded desert camp, saying 'when you have 4,000 people jammed into tents in the desert, mental health issues are going to present themselves'.

  • The ICE detention center, known as Camp East Montana, opened just a few months ago in Fort Bliss, Texas.
  • Three migrant deaths have occurred at the facility in its first three months of operation - a suicide, a fatal medical emergency, and an alleged homicide.
  • A measles outbreak has also affected more than 100 detainees at the center.

The players

Gabe Vasquez

A Democratic U.S. Representative from New Mexico who toured the ICE detention center and renewed calls for the Trump administration to close the facility.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that operates the Camp East Montana detention center in Fort Bliss, Texas.

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What they’re saying

“The conditions that I saw inside the detention facility today are beneath our American values.”

— Gabe Vasquez, U.S. Representative, New Mexico

“We heard concerns regarding withholding of medical care. They said you practically have to be down on the ground, dying, choking before you receive medical care.”

— Gabe Vasquez, U.S. Representative, New Mexico

What’s next

Rep. Vasquez said he is cosponsoring the Humane Accountability Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to provide Congress with detailed data on people in its custody and how it is spending funds. The bill would also mandate DHS to inform Congress and the public before building new detention facilities.

The takeaway

The congressman's visit and allegations of substandard conditions at the ICE detention center underscore ongoing concerns about the treatment of migrants in U.S. custody, particularly at rapidly expanded facilities under the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. The measles outbreak and multiple migrant deaths at the facility raise urgent questions about the provision of adequate medical care and mental health resources.