911 Calls Expose Medical Crises, Two Deaths at ICE’s Largest Detention Camp in Texas
911 calls and interviews describe medical crises, attempted suicides, fights and poor living conditions at Camp East Montana, a six‑tent detention complex on Fort Bliss near El Paso — which is closed to visitors until at least March 19 amid a measles outbreak — and include former detainees’ allegations of filthy, insect‑infested facilities and even guards betting on which detainee would die by suicide. DHS has rejected claims of substandard care, saying detainees receive food, water and medical treatment in a regularly cleaned facility, while ICE data show about 80% of detainees at the camp have no criminal record and The Washington Post reported ICE is considering closing the site.
📌 Key Facts
- The facility is on the U.S. Army base Fort Bliss in the Chihuahuan Desert near El Paso and consists of six long tents with communal living pods; detainees wear color‑coded uniforms and Croc‑style shoes.
- 911 calls from the camp reportedly reveal attempted suicides, fights and detainees in pain, portraying widespread misery inside the facility.
- Camp East Montana has been closed to visitors until at least March 19 because of a measles outbreak, according to Rep. Veronica Escobar.
- A former detainee, Owen Ramsingh, alleges filthy, insect‑infested showers and restrooms between cleanings, hunger‑driven thefts and fights over food, and claims guards ran a bet pool on which detainee would die by suicide next.
- A DHS spokesperson, in an on‑the‑record email, rejected claims of substandard conditions, saying detainees receive food, water and medical treatment, the facility is regularly cleaned, and normal operations continue even as ICE reportedly considers closing the camp.
- ICE data show about 80% of detainees at Camp East Montana have no criminal record and were detained in a broad enforcement sweep rather than as the 'worst of the worst' offenders targeted by recent rhetoric.
📊 Relevant Data
The total number of people in ICE detention increased from 40,500 on January 20, 2025, to 70,805 by early 2026, marking a record high.
How many people are being detained by ICE? — USAFacts
In 2025, there were 32 deaths in ICE custody, the deadliest year in over two decades, with causes including 6 suicides, medical complications such as heart failure and pneumonia, and one homicide.
2025 was ICE’s deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 32 people who died in custody — The Guardian
Among the 32 deaths in ICE custody in 2025, 7 were Mexican nationals (22%), 3 were Chinese (9%), 2 were Honduran (6%), and 2 were Haitian (6%), with single deaths from other nationalities including 1 Cuban and 1 Nicaraguan.
2025 was ICE’s deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 32 people who died in custody — The Guardian
Push factors driving Nicaraguan migration to the US include political repression and government crackdowns, resulting in approximately 8% of Nicaragua's entire population (over 500,000 people) illegally entering the US between 2021 and 2026.
DHS: 8% of Nicaragua's population illegally entered US under Biden — Fox News
Push factors for Cuban migration to the US include severe economic conditions, lack of access to jobs, food, and medicine, leading to potentially massive exodus with hundreds of thousands migrating in recent years.
With Cuba On The Ropes, America Is Unready For Massive Cuban Exodus — Forbes
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms the facility is located on the U.S. Army base Fort Bliss in the Chihuahuan Desert near El Paso and describes it as a series of six long tents with communal living pods, color‑coded uniforms and Croc‑style shoes.
- Specifies that Camp East Montana will be closed to visitors until at least March 19 due to a measles outbreak, according to Rep. Veronica Escobar.
- Adds detailed anecdotal evidence from former detainee Owen Ramsingh, including claims of filthy, insect‑infested showers and restrooms between cleanings, hunger‑driven theft of food leading to fights, and an allegation that guards ran a bet pool on which detainee would die by suicide next.
- Includes an on‑the‑record email response from a DHS spokesperson (unnamed) rejecting claims of substandard conditions, asserting detainees receive food, water and medical treatment in a regularly cleaned facility, and stating that normal operations continue even as The Washington Post has reported ICE is considering closing the camp.
- Quantifies that ICE data show about 80% of detainees at Camp East Montana have no criminal record and were swept up in a broad enforcement dragnet rather than being the 'worst of the worst' offenders Trump vowed to target.