 and several civil rights organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging widespread mistreatment of migrants at the Camp East Montana Detention Facility in El Paso, Texas.){kind=link}
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and several civil rights organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging widespread mistreatment of migrants at the Camp East Montana Detention Facility in El Paso, Texas.
Located on the Fort Bliss military base, Camp East Montana is the nation’s largest immigration detention center, with a capacity of 5,000 beds. The lawsuit claims detainees have faced poor medical care, unsafe living conditions, excessive use of force, sexual harassment, and prolonged solitary confinement.
Allegations of Abuse and Neglect
The complaint describes conditions at the facility as a “civil rights catastrophe,” alleging that detainees are housed in windowless tents and exposed to inadequate health care and unsanitary conditions.
The lawsuit also references three deaths that have occurred at the facility since it opened in 2025, including the death of a Cuban migrant that was ruled a homicide by a local medical examiner.
In addition, plaintiffs claim some detainees have experienced inappropriate searches, retaliation after reporting misconduct, and health issues linked to dusty conditions around the camp.
DHS Rejects Claims
DHS strongly denied the allegations, stating that detainees have access to medical, dental, and mental health care and that no one is denied treatment while in ICE custody.
A department spokesperson said claims of abuse are “categorically false” and maintained that the agency provides a high standard of care for detainees.
Inspection Report Raised Concerns
The lawsuit follows an internal ICE inspection conducted earlier this year that identified dozens of safety and security violations at the facility, including issues involving use-of-force documentation, medical evaluations after incidents, and video recording procedures.
The ACLU filed the lawsuit on behalf of four current detainees and is seeking class-action status to represent all individuals held at the center.
Civil rights groups argue that because immigration detention is civil rather than criminal, conditions of confinement should not be punitive while detainees await the outcome of their immigration cases.
For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.