El Paso City Council calls for grand jury investigations into deaths at Camp East Montana

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to advance a resolution calling for independent federal grand jury investigations into multiple deaths at Camp East Montana.

Only Mayor Renard Johnson and representatives Josh Acevedo (District 2), Ivan Niño (District 5), Lily Limón (District 7) and Chris Canales (District 8) were present at Tuesday’s meeting.

The council members passed the measure 4-0, which directs the City Attorney’s Office to prepare a resolution for consideration at the next feasible council meeting.

Initially, the resolution was expected to return April 13 as part of a broader report tied to a February 3 council action on immigration detention facilities.

The proposal updates a decision the council made on February 3, which was about stopping new ICE detention centers from being built. It adds a request for independent federal grand juries to step in and investigate claims involving federal immigration authorities.

Once approved, the resolution would be sent to the chief judge and judges of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division, as well as the U.S. attorney and district clerk for the Western District of Texas.

City Representative Lily Limon said the item was prompted in part by a January 23 letter from Mayor Renard Johnson to the Office of Inspector General requesting an independent investigation into the deaths at the facility.

“I want to stress the three deaths that have taken place at this horrific location. We have had the death of Francisco Gaspar Andres, Victor Manuel Diaz, who was presumed to have committed suicide, and then Geraldo Lunas Campos, whose death was ruled a homicide,” Limon said.

Limon said the circumstances surrounding the deaths raised serious concerns, particularly the handling of Diaz’s autopsy.

“The problem with this as I viewed it, is that after Geraldo died and it was ruled a homicide, the next victim, Victor Manuel Diaz, was sent to William Beaumont Medical Center at Fort Bliss for an autopsy and they bypassed the county medical examiner,” Limon said.

She added that military hospitals are not required to release autopsy reports to the public, limiting transparency because findings are typically shared only with investigators and family members.

Limon said her proposal was also influenced by former El Paso Mayor Ray Caballero, who urged the city to pursue a grand jury review.

“Grand juries can review autopsy reports, medical records, surveillance footage and interview law enforcement personnel,” Limon said.

She said she met twice with City Attorney Karla Nieman to help shape how the item would be presented and argued that detention facilities lack sufficient oversight.

“We have no supervision, there is no transparency on these camps,” Limon said.

Limon also cited growing concern about conditions and access at the facility, including reports that attorneys face long delays when attempting to meet with clients and that elected officials have had difficulty gaining entry.

During public comment, Veronica Carbajal urged council members to continue using their influence over detention facilities and raised concerns about conditions at Camp East Montana.

“They do not have clean water, and that should be alarming to all of us,” Carbajal said.

Carbajal also referenced health concerns and called for stronger oversight, including potential legal action similar to efforts in other jurisdictions to enforce inspection authority.

City Representative Chris Canales supported the measure and successfully introduced an amendment to expedite the timeline, directing the city attorney to bring the resolution back at the next practicable meeting rather than waiting for a 60-day reporting period.

“I think time is really of the essence on this,” Canales said.

City Representative Josh Acevedo attempted to introduce separate draft language for the resolution, but withdrew the proposal after the city clerk advised it was not in proper order because it had not been posted on the meeting agenda.

Council members ultimately proceeded with the amended direction, which allows the City Attorney’s Office to incorporate existing draft language already under development.

Mayor Renard Johnson thanked Limon for bringing the item forward and emphasized the city’s stance on detention facilities.

“One death is too many,” Johnson said.

Johnson described El Paso as a welcoming community and said the city should not become defined by immigration detention.

“We do not need new ICE facilities here in El Paso; we do not want to be known as the detention capital of the U.S.,” Johnson said.

The council is expected to take up the drafted resolution at an upcoming meeting.