ICE Extends No-Bid Contract for Abused Texas Detention Center

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement extended a no-bid contract with Amentum Services Inc. to keep the Camp East Montana detention facility in El Paso, Texas, open until at least September 30, 2027. The extension may cost taxpayers an additional $776 million, bringing the total potential payout to over $1.2 billion. The agency justified the decision by stating that relocating detainees is impracticable due to a lack of bed space and that a lapse in contract coverage would threaten the safety of detainees and disrupt law enforcement operations.

The decision follows months of pressure from Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups to close the site, which has seen three detainee deaths since opening in August 2025. A joint report by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union documented severe guard assaults, medical neglect, overcrowding, and inedible meals. Additionally, a June 2026 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the facility failed to meet key detention standards, risking the safety of both staff and detainees.

ICE denied allegations of abuse, asserting that detainees have access to food, medical care, legal counsel, and family communication. However, critics such as Congresswoman Veronica Escobar continue to demand the facility's closure, citing substandard conditions. Researchers from the ACLU and Human Rights Watch characterized the contract extension as a reckless move that perpetuates a system of harm and abuse.