Lawsuit over detention conditions at Camp East Montana (Fort Bliss, El Paso)

Status: In litigation — Akari Angye et al. v. ICE (W.D. Tex. (El Paso Division) — class action; class-certification motion pending (case number not yet public))

Ongoing class-action lawsuit filed late Friday, May 29, 2026 (announced May 30) by four people detained at Camp East Montana, the ICE tent facility at the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. The complaint argues that conditions at the site amount to unconstitutional punishment of civil detainees, in violation of the Fifth Amendment right to due process and the Administrative Procedure Act. It cites a prolonged measles outbreak that it says infected at least 14 people, at least three deaths since the facility opened in August 2025, medical neglect, inadequate food, arbitrary and prolonged solitary confinement, dust exposure, and confinement in windowless tents for roughly 23 hours a day. The plaintiffs also filed a motion to certify a class covering everyone detained at the facility now or in the future. No court ruling has been issued. The suit is brought by the ACLU, ACLU of Texas, the Texas Civil Rights Project, Human Rights Watch, and the law firm Farella Braun + Martel; the Department of Homeland Security has called the allegations "categorically false."

Next step: Watch for the government's response to the complaint, the court's ruling on the motion for class certification, and any request for a preliminary injunction to change conditions at the facility. As of June 30, 2026, no hearing date had been made public and the court had not ruled.

Verified against the primary source as of 2026-07-25 — status can change with a single court ruling. Official source.

What’s happening

Ongoing class-action lawsuit filed late Friday, May 29, 2026 (announced May 30) by four people detained at Camp East Montana, the ICE tent facility at the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. The complaint argues that conditions at the site amount to unconstitutional punishment of civil detainees, in violation of the Fifth Amendment right to due process and the Administrative Procedure Act. It cites a prolonged measles outbreak that it says infected at least 14 people, at least three deaths since the facility opened in August 2025, medical neglect, inadequate food, arbitrary and prolonged solitary confinement, dust exposure, and confinement in windowless tents for roughly 23 hours a day. The plaintiffs also filed a motion to certify a class covering everyone detained at the facility now or in the future. No court ruling has been issued. The suit is brought by the ACLU, ACLU of Texas, the Texas Civil Rights Project, Human Rights Watch, and the law firm Farella Braun + Martel; the Department of Homeland Security has called the allegations “categorically false.”

Who it affects

People currently or in the future held at Camp East Montana on the Fort Bliss base in El Paso — the class the lawsuit seeks to represent. The site is described as the largest ICE detention center, designed to hold up to about 5,000 people. The case addresses conditions of confinement (medical care, use of force, solitary confinement, food, and sanitation); it does not change any individual’s immigration case, removal proceedings, or eligibility for any immigration benefit. How the court rules could also influence legal standards for detention conditions at other large ICE tent facilities.

How it got here

  1. Aug 2025 Camp East Montana opens on the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas, described as the largest ICE detention facility, with a planned capacity of up to about 5,000 people.
  2. May 29, 2026 Four detained people file the complaint and a motion for class certification in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleging Fifth Amendment due-process and Administrative Procedure Act violations over conditions at the facility.
  3. May 30, 2026 The ACLU, ACLU of Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Human Rights Watch and Farella Braun + Martel announce the suit; the Department of Homeland Security calls the allegations "categorically false."

What to watch next

Watch for the government’s response to the complaint, the court’s ruling on the motion for class certification, and any request for a preliminary injunction to change conditions at the facility. As of June 30, 2026, no hearing date had been made public and the court had not ruled.

Official sources

This page is general information about ongoing litigation, not legal advice. A case’s status can change with a single ruling, and outcomes can turn on facts specific to each person. For advice on a specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.