Detainees at Texas ICE Facility File Federal Lawsuit Alleging Abuse and Medical Neglect
Why It Matters
A federal lawsuit filed against the largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Texas raises significant legal and constitutional questions about conditions inside a military-base encampment that houses thousands of immigrants. The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, could affect detention policy and standards at federal facilities nationwide.
What Happened
Four detainees held at Camp East Montana — a tent-based detention center located on the U.S. Army’s Fort Bliss base near El Paso — filed a federal lawsuit on Saturday alleging physical abuse, severe medical neglect, and unconstitutional conditions. It is the first lawsuit filed against the facility since it opened in 2025.
The complaint names ICE Director Todd Lyons and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin as defendants. Plaintiffs are seeking class-action status and filed the suit on behalf of themselves, all current detainees, and any individuals who may be held there in the future.
The allegations include beatings by guards, sexual harassment, squalid living quarters, inadequate and spoiled food, restricted access to hygiene products, disease outbreaks, and severely limited access to sunlight or recreation.
One named plaintiff, Gerald Akari Angye, a Cameroonian national, alleged he was beaten so badly by guards that he required hospitalization and use of a wheelchair. He was subsequently placed in solitary confinement for 15 days, according to the complaint. “No human being should ever have to go through this,” Angye said in a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is among the legal organizations representing the plaintiffs.
A second plaintiff, identified only as Navdeep, alleged that sewage-contaminated water flowed into his sleeping area, that he wore the same clothing — including underwear — for three weeks, and that excessive desert dust caused respiratory problems. “We could die here, and it feels like no one here would care,” he said in the ACLU statement.
The lawsuit also alleges that detainees managing serious illnesses — including HIV, cancer, and diabetes — are not receiving medications in a timely manner.
Government Response
DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis disputed the allegations in a written statement, calling the claims “categorically false.” The statement said ICE facilities are regularly audited and inspected by external agencies, and that all detainees receive meals, clean water, blankets, medical care, and access to legal counsel and family contact. “ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens,” the statement read.
By the Numbers
- ~3,000 detainees currently held at Camp East Montana, which has capacity for up to 5,000
- At least 3 detainees have died at the facility, including one death ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office
- 49 violations of detention standards were recorded by ICE during a February inspection, including deficiencies in medical care
- 15 days in solitary confinement allegedly imposed on plaintiff Gerald Akari Angye following his hospitalization
- 1 temporary closure occurred earlier this year after a measles outbreak was reported at the facility
Zoom Out
Camp East Montana was established in 2025 as part of the federal government’s expanded immigration enforcement campaign. The facility became a focal point for congressional scrutiny after ICE flew large numbers of detainees from states including Minnesota to the El Paso encampment. Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Kelly Morrison visited the facility in March and stated publicly that what she observed was deeply troubling.
Immigration advocacy groups have called for the facility’s closure for months. The measles outbreak and the February internal audit findings had already drawn attention to conditions at the camp before Saturday’s lawsuit. No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the detainee death classified as a homicide.
What’s Next
The case will proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Plaintiffs are seeking class-action certification, which would broaden the suit’s scope to cover all current and future detainees at the facility. Federal judges will determine whether to grant that status as the litigation moves forward. Congressional oversight visits are expected to continue in the coming months.