Rep. Escobar: ICE’s Camp East Montana Still a Human Rights Nightmare, No Real Oversight

Rep. Veronica Escobar, a relentless watchdog on ICE detention abuses, has delivered a damning verdict after her latest inspection of Camp East Montana: “nothing had changed.” The sprawling tent detention center, the largest in the U.S., remains a site of systemic neglect, medical emergencies, and rights violations despite a recent change in management.

Escobar’s visit in early April marked her eighth oversight trip since the facility opened in August 2025. Her findings echo a grim pattern: detainees lack timely medical attention, endure unsanitary conditions, and face punitive threats. Shockingly, detainees receive used underwear and are forced to wash their own clothes. Calls to 911 for medical emergencies continue unabated, highlighting the ongoing crisis.

The root problem, Escobar says, is a glaring absence of adequate ICE oversight on the ground. She pushed to increase ICE personnel at the facility, hoping that experienced agents could enforce standards. Instead, she encountered indifference from officials, underscoring a culture of neglect rather than accountability.

An internal ICE investigation uncovered 49 violations under the previous contractor, Acquisition Logistics, including excessive use of force, security lapses, deficient medical care, and failures in sexual abuse prevention. The contract was canceled, and Amentum Services took over management on April 17. Yet Escobar remains skeptical, vowing continued scrutiny to ensure the new contractor meets basic standards.

The problem extends beyond the main contractor. Subcontractors, including those responsible for security, are also under review, with at least one poised for replacement. Meanwhile, Escobar’s office struggles to conduct vital casework on behalf of detained immigrants. Privacy release forms necessary for communication are not being properly provided, effectively cutting detainees off from legal and congressional support.

This obstruction is not unique to Escobar. Other members of Congress, like Rep. Kelly Morrison, have faced similar barriers. Casework is a lifeline for detainees and their families, many of whom are U.S. citizens worried about access to medicine and due process. Without access, detainees remain isolated and vulnerable.

Camp East Montana’s population has dropped from a high of 3,800 to just over 950 detainees, but the scale of abuse and neglect remains staggering. The facility’s capacity to hold 5,000 people highlights the vast scope of ICE’s detention apparatus and the urgent need for transparency and reform.

Escobar’s findings expose the ongoing human cost of ICE’s privatized detention system. Despite billions in taxpayer dollars and repeated promises of improvement, oversight remains a hollow concept, and detainees continue to suffer in silence. The question now is whether Congress and the public will demand real accountability or allow ICE’s abuses to persist unchecked.