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Detainees at Fort Bliss beaten by guards, denied medical care in widespread abuse documented by ACLU and Human Rights Watch

Jul 16, 2026·Location: El Paso, TX

Country of origin: United States

Detainees at Fort Bliss beaten by guards, denied medical care in widespread abuse documented by ACLU and Human Rights Watch
Photo via ACLU

A joint report by the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch documents systematic abuse at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention facility in the United States, located at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Researchers interviewed 80 people between October 2025 and June 2026 and found widespread cruel and degrading conditions across five tent-like structures housing up to 5,000 people, with up to 72 people per pod. Detainees reported being beaten by guards in response to hunger strikes, medical requests, and complaints about conditions, as well as collective punishment and retaliation against those who asserted their rights. The 84-page report documents filthy bathrooms, flooded cells, inadequate hygiene supplies, prolonged isolation, inconsistent meal schedules, and spoiled food. Researchers also found systematic failures to provide adequate medical and mental health care, coercive deportation practices including threats of violence and indefinite detention to pressure removal to third countries, and systemic barriers to legal representation.

Timeline

Jul 16, 2026—ACLU and Human Rights Watch release joint report documenting widespread abuse, including beatings by guards, denial of medical care, and inhumane detention conditions
Jun 30, 2026—Research period concludes; researchers completed interviews with 80 detainees
Oct 1, 2025—Researchers begin interviewing detainees at Camp East Montana
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