A large immigration detention camp in Texas has been closed to visitors and attorneys due to a measles outbreak, according to U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar.
Key Takeaways
A large immigration detention center in Texas has been closed to visitors due to a measles outbreak, affecting access to legal representation. The camp, known as Camp East Montana on Fort Bliss Army base, currently has 14 active measles cases and 112 people isolated.
- Measles outbreak at Camp East Montana detains 14 active cases
- Facility closed to visitors until March 19 or March 20
- Detainees can only access lawyers virtually during closure
The facility, known as Camp East Montana on the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, currently has 14 active measles cases and 112 people isolated. The camp will remain closed until March 19 or March 20, affecting access to legal representation for detainees.
Escobar expressed concern about the preventable crisis creating conditions where detainees can only access their lawyers virtually. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security have not responded to requests for comment.
The camp opened last year after the Trump administration awarded a contract worth up to $1.3 billion to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a Virginia contractor with no prior experience operating an ICE facility. Detainees have described living in loud and unsanitary quarters where diseases spread easily.
Measles, declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, has affected Texas communities due to underfunded vaccine programs, with West Texas particularly hard hit.
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