Tens of millions of tax dollars wasted, and safety put at risk: that’s how a new federal audit describes the nation’s largest immigration detention center.
Last fall Scripps News exposed health and safety problems at a huge ICE detention site in Texas.
Now a new government report details never before disclosed examples of waste and safety concerns at Camp East Montana.
ICE cut corners rushing to stand up the camp in El Paso, Texas, according to federal auditors.
“The facility opened without meeting key detention standards,” their report finds, outlining “Serious risks to the safety and security of both detained noncitizens and staff.”
Three detainees have died.
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Scripps News was on the ground at Camp East Montana in fall, and first to report Gerardo Lunas Campos dead after what ICE called a “spontaneous use of force” by guards. Now the report reveals evidence in the case is missing or destroyed.
Another detainee, Victor Diaz, apparently took his own life.
The report finds the contractor ignored an order from ICE to install windows on medical room doors to monitor those at risk of suicide.
"He easily could have been saved had the proper procedures been in place," said Randall Kallinen, who represents Diaz’s family. "Horrendous conditions that don't seem to be able to be fixed for some reason."
The report disclosed:
- A security guard lost a loaded gun, never found
- A detainee with tuberculosis was overlooked because of a failure to use skin tests as required by protocol
- A detainee was able to escape
ICE admits the inexperienced contractor it hired without a competitive contract process to run Camp East Monana couldn’t keep track of all the detainees at the camp, which was designed to hold 5,000 people.
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Auditors also flagged a waste of taxpayer money.
Tens of millions of dollars gone, because the government kept buying thousands of meals more than needed, day after day.
In response to Scripps News questions, Homeland Security notes they hired a new, more experienced company to take over the contract in April.
ICE will have more oversight of the facility now, DHS says.
