Guards at this Texas detention camp dialed 911 more than 160 times
Guards and staff at an immigration detention camp outside El Paso called 911 more than 160 times. ProPublica obtained the recordings through public records requests and published them on August 28. The calls span September 2025 through February 2026.
Camp East Montana began housing immigrants in August 2025, at Fort Bliss. ProPublica describes it as a flagship of the mass-deportation push.
KVIA, citing ABC-7's review of 130 of the calls, counted 24 for chest pain or cardiac symptoms, 17 for suicide attempts or suicidal ideation, and 16 for seizures. ProPublica's own account describes suicide attempts, organ failures, overdoses, and staff saying they could not provide adequate care.
Three men died at the camp within six weeks. Francisco Gaspar-Andres died on December 3, 2025. Geraldo Lunas Campos died on January 3, 2026. Victor Manuel Diaz died that same month.
Lunas Campos died after an altercation with guards over his medication. The El Paso County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. El Paso Matters reported the cause as asphyxia, and that evidence in the case was destroyed or missing.
The Department of Homeland Security disputes the account of conditions. “These claims that there are subprime conditions at ICE facilities are FALSE,” the department told KVIA, saying the facility provides comprehensive medical services, including mental health services.
Inspectors have been through it. An ICE Office of Detention Oversight inspection in February 2026 found 49 deficiencies, El Paso Matters reported.
A federal watchdog examined how the camp opened. The Government Accountability Office found the launch was rushed: no risk-assessment system, no perimeter security cameras, and no required tuberculosis skin testing.
The recordings are public now. Every one of them was placed from inside a facility the department says provides comprehensive care.
By the numbers
- more than 160 — 911 calls placed from Camp East Montana between September 2025 and February 2026[1]
- 24, 17 and 16 — calls for chest pain or cardiac symptoms, suicide attempts or ideation, and seizures, in a review of 130 calls[2]
- 3 — men who died at the camp within six weeks; one death was ruled a homicide[3]
- 49 — deficiencies found by an ICE Office of Detention Oversight inspection in February 2026[4]
The reporting
This story is built on reporting by ProPublica. Read the original →
Sources
- ProPublica, 911 calls from Camp East Montana, Texas detention
- KVIA, 911 call records show frequent medical emergencies as DHS disputes conditions report
- El Paso Matters, rushed launch of Camp East Montana led to costly failures
Image credits
- Hero: source (U.S. Army / DVIDS, public domain) — Staff Sgt. Michael West
- In story: source (Diocese of El Paso / OSV News, operator-cleared 2026-08-31) — Fernando Ceniceros