U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is moving toward shuttering Camp East Montana, the sprawling tent-city detention center on the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. An internal document circulated to ICE staff—first reported on March 4 by The Texas Tribune—directs officials to draft a letter terminating the facility’s US$1.2 billion operations contract. The camp has been under intense scrutiny since opening in August 2025, with lawmakers documenting deaths, medical neglect and now a measles outbreak that has sickened at least 14 detainees and forced a suspension of attorney and visitor access. Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX) called the facility “the epitome of fraud, waste and abuse” and renewed her demand for immediate closure. Human-rights lawyers say Camp East Montana’s rapid construction bypassed normal procurement safeguards, resulting in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions that facilitate disease transmission. The measles incident has become a flash-point for public-health advocates, who argue that detaining large numbers of migrants in close quarters poses systemic health risks to surrounding communities and immigration staff alike. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it is “reviewing the contract” but has not set a timeline for winding down operations. Should ICE proceed, detainees would be transferred to other facilities or placed in alternatives-to-detention (ATD) programs such as ankle monitors and SmartLINK smartphone check-ins. Mobility professionals employing foreign workers should anticipate case delays for individuals whose files are housed at Camp East Montana’s docket control center. For global companies, the episode underscores the importance of medical evacuation and duty-of-care protocols for foreign assignees who may be detained at ports of entry. It also highlights the reputational risks of contracting with vendors linked to controversial detention sites. Next steps for employers and counsel: • Monitor ICE transfer notices; detainee location affects attorney of record jurisdiction and bond procedures. • Re-evaluate travel to El Paso ports of entry during the measles quarantine period (through at least March 20). • Communicate proactively with employees in removal proceedings to mitigate mental-health and family-separation stressors.
Source: The Texas Tribune
