El Paso Congresswoman Veronica Escobar discusses visit to Camp East Montana
Watch Congresswoman Escobar's Press Conference here:
FORT BLISS, Texas (KVIA) -- Congresswoman Veronica Escobar spoke to members of the press Monday morning after her "oversight visit" to Camp East Montana, the largest migrant detention center in the United States.
The East Montana site, operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), began receiving detainees on Aug. 1, according to Escobar, and now holds just over 1,000 people. Federal officials say the facility could eventually hold up to 5,000.
Escobar said her team spent more than two hours inspecting operations and questioning ICE staff.
She expressed concern about the cost, staffing, and impact on El Paso’s limited resources.
“Imagine how much good that money could do for El Paso — in child care, universal pre-K, health care — instead, it’s being used to fund detention,” Escobar said.
Michael Aboud, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, welcomed the new center. He said it represents an investment in the area and will bring jobs, though he wished more contracts had gone to local businesses.
“It’s good for El Paso. I wish it would bring more jobs, but it’ll bring in some government employees,” Aboud said.
He added that he believes the facility would not have been necessary, "if the Biden administration and all those rotten Democrats would not have been bringing in all those illegal aliens."
The center is currently powered by generators and will later connect to the local power grid. ICE officials said it will serve as a hub for deportation flights to Mexico and Central America.
According to ICE’s Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss, Texas, is a short-term, soft-sided federal detention facility for housing migrants who are in removal proceedings or who have final orders of removal.
Senator John Cornyn visited the facility on August 11th.
"It’s important for people to understand we are not talking gardeners or housekeepers; these are people who didn’t show up to court-ordered hearings," Cornyn said after his visit. "There is no due process concern. They have no legal right to be here."
ABC-7 also reached out to Congressman Tony Gonzales for comment on the facility's opening and asked if he has any plans to visit. We have not yet received a response.
