The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to open a new migrant detention facility at Fort Bliss on Sunday, August 17, 2025. The center, named Camp East Montana, will start with 1,000 beds and plans to expand to hold up to 5,000 detainees, making it the largest migrant detention facility in the country.
ICE spokesperson Leticia Zamarripa confirmed the news, stating that the expansion is necessary due to a rise in enforcement actions against individuals living in the U.S. without legal status. The facility will support ongoing efforts to manage increased immigration cases and speed up the removal process.
Camp East Montana is being built through a Department of Defense contract as part of a nationwide strategy to protect public safety and national security. ICE has partnered with Acquisition Logistics LLC, a Virginia-based contractor, to handle construction and expansion. Beds will be added in weekly batches of 250 until the facility reaches 3,000, with further growth expected.
Why is ICE opening a facility at Fort Bliss?
The center will help relieve overcrowding in other ICE facilities and will also be used as a processing center. ICE Air Operations will handle deportations for migrants held at the site. ICE noted that many of these individuals include criminal offenders recently arrested by its officers.
According to ICE, the facility will meet the agency’s detention standards and include services such as legal access, a law library, visitation areas, medical care, and nutritious meals. Special attention will be given to religious practices, dietary needs, and disabilities.
Photos taken earlier this month show the soft-sided buildings already in place at the Fort Bliss U.S. Army Post in El Paso, Texas. Officials say the center will provide the same services as any permanent ICE detention facility.
The creation of Camp East Montana comes under Executive Order 14159, signed during the Trump administration. The order supports using national security resources to enforce immigration laws and maintain public order.
The $231.9 million contract was awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC on July 21. Work began immediately and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2027. According to federal documents, 13 companies submitted bids online, and the funding for this project comes from the Army’s 2025 operations budget.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin of the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the site is now operational, with ICE preparing for a steady increase in detainee numbers. The facility is meant to reduce strain on the immigration system and enhance the government’s ability to carry out faster deportations.