Report: Detainees at ICE facility in Texas report frequent beatings and other human rights abuses

By — Michael Biesecker, Associated Press Michael Biesecker, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/report-detainees-at-ice-facility-in-texas-report-frequent-beatings-and-other-human-rights-abuses Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Report: Detainees at ICE facility in Texas report frequent beatings and other human rights abuses Nation Jul 15, 2026 4:47 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of people held at a sprawling Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas say they were either beaten by guards or witnessed others being beaten, according to a new report issued by legal and human rights advocates. READ MORE: Man fleeing immigration officers in Florida struck and killed by tractor trailer, police say The 84-page report issued jointly Wednesday by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union also says men and women held at Camp East Montana, located at the U.S. Army's Fort Bliss in El Paso, recounted being denied necessary medical care, forced to live in filthy conditions and fed inedible meals. Detainees also said they were prevented from contacting their lawyers or family members. Of the 71 detainees contacted over a five month period, 64 — about 90% of those interviewed — said they had either personally been assaulted by the staff or had seen others physically abused, according to the report. "ICE's Camp East Montana is a human rights disaster," said Angélica César, a fellow at Human Rights Watch and the ACLU who was a lead researcher for the report. "The U.S. government should shut it down, conduct independent investigations into all abuses and deaths in custody, and put an end to mass deportations and mandatory immigration detention." The Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The new accounts of violence and substandard living conditions inside Camp East Montana are consistent with earlier reports by The Associated Press and others. At least three detainees held at the facility since it opened in August have died, including a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who was handcuffed and stopped breathing earlier this year after being held down by guards. WATCH: Maine Sen. King says feds lack credibility, locals need role in ICE shooting investigation A local medical examiner later ruled that death a homicide and a federal report issued last month said evidence in the case was "missing or destroyed." That report by the Government Accountability Office found mismanagement by the Department of Homeland Security had created unsafe conditions that contributed to detainee deaths and suffering even as millions of wasted tax dollars enriched contractors. In March, ICE replaced Acquisition Logistics, LLC, the prime contractor that had been awarded a deal last year worth up to $1.3 billion to build and manage the camp. The Virginia company had no prior experience running an ICE dete