Escobar questions DHS on Socorro detention plans, Camp East Montana and Mt. Cristo Rey

EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — As concerns over immigration detention plans and border construction in the borderland continue to raise questions, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar pressed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin for answers during a DHS subcommittee oversight hearing on Thursday.

Following months of concerns over conditions at Camp East Montana, growing local opposition to the three proposed warehouses for Socorro detention sites, and the potential seizure of land for border barrier construction near sensitive sites, including Mt. Cristo Rey, Escobar is asking what federal officials plan on doing to address these concerns.

Camp East Montana

During the hearing on Thursday, Escobar said that while she had conversations with Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director David Venturella, during his recent visit to El Paso, about Camp East Montana’s previous private contractor, Acquisition Logistics LLC, and its multiple operational and safety shortcomings, she wants to remind federal officials to hold private contractors accountable.

“I know we have a new contractor for which I’m delighted, but so much of what I had sounded the alarm about really fell on deaf ears,” Escobar said. “And when I sound the alarm about issues that I’m seeing in my oversight visits, it’s not to play gotcha. It’s not to one-up anyone. It’s to uphold the standards that I know we all agree should be upheld. And so I think it’s really important that, especially members who are sounding the alarm when there’s a private contractor, that private contractor be held accountable by all of us.”

This comes after a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office was released earlier this month, detailing serious concerns regarding facility readiness and detainee safety, which occurred during the period Acquisition Logistics LLC was operating Camp East Montana.

According to the GAO, the Army and ICE accelerated the facility’s planning, contracting, and construction timelines, leading to costly procurement decisions and inadequate oversight.

The report found that the Army awarded a $1.3 billion contract under compressed deadlines and selected a contractor with no prior experience operating detention facilities.

While a new contractor, Amentum Services Inc, has since taken over the operations of the detention center, Escobar said that issues remain, stating that she spoke with a detainee who she said had been at Camp East Montana for weeks and complained of arm pain after an arrest in Minneapolis.

She said the detainee’s arm had been broken, that he had complained for weeks, and that “medical had only given him aspirin.” Escobar added that the medical contractor “is still on site” at Camp East Montana.

While it is unclear which medical contractor Escobar is specifically referring to, a DHS spokesperson previously said in a statement to KFOX14/CBS4 regarding medical care, “ICE will continue to ensure that all of the detainees in our custody receive the level of care, service, and medical support they need to match our high detention standards.”

KFOX14/CBS4 has reached out to DHS for comment.

Socorro detention warehouses

Escobar then raised objections to three warehouses purchased in Socorro, Texas, by DHS leadership before Mullin’s tenure, saying local officials warned the location lacks the infrastructure needed for training, staffing, and detention use.

Public documents obtained by KFOX14/CBSS4 confirm DHS has acquired an entire industrial block in Socorro for more than $122 million, which is slated to be an immigration detention facility.

However, since plans of the proposed facility were announced, local leaders have raised concerns over the resources that would be needed to support the size of that facility.

Additionally, earlier this month, Escobar and other local leaders met with Venturella to address concerns about the Socorro detention facility. During that visit, Escobar said ICE told local officials the project will no longer house 8,500 people as originally planned, but will be a privately run detention operation with a shift toward a broader, campus-style use.

Despite the revised plan, Escobar continued to raise concerns on Thursday, saying it would “take years to prepare those facilities” and “multiple millions of dollars on top of the overpayment to purchase those warehouses.”

“Whoever preceded you that chose those three warehouses chose the worst possible location,” Escobar said, adding that Socorro is a small municipality that struggles with water, wastewater, and emergency services capacity.

“So, you know, I’d ask for you to please take a closer look. Now that Mr. Venturella has been there, hopefully he has a more kind of on-the-ground perspective about that,” Escobar said.

In response, Mullin said DHS is reassessing the properties, acknowledging broader challenges with detention capacity, and will be reexamining its process.

“We are evaluating all 11 that was purchased. There’s some that just quite frankly, probably won’t work,” Mullin said. “I believe there’s at least one in that area that probably just won’t work.”

Mullin said DHS faces a shortage of detention bed space and is trying to make some sites work, but acknowledged problems with earlier vetting.

“There was some due diligence that maybe wasn’t actually checked off,” he said. “And so ma’am, what you’re saying is not wrong. We’re going through and reevaluating every one of them to be the best possible outcome for our mission inside of DHS.”

Mt. Cristo Rey

On the construction of border barriers, Escobar questioned Mt. Cristo Rey, property owned by the Catholic Church, saying the decision to take the Diocese to court to acquire the land “has really caused incredible distress in the community.”

According to court documents previously obtained by KFOX14/CBS4, the U.S. is suing the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County Treasurer to seize about 14. 259 acres of land, located near Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park, which is privately owned by the diocese.

According to court documents, the land will be used for the construction and operation of border security measures, including roads, fencing, and surveillance systems such as cameras and lighting.

Meanwhile, in another court filing obtained by KFOX14/CBS4, the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces responded to the lawsuit, arguing the acquisition of the land would “damage its religious and cultural sanctity.”

Addressing Escobar’s concerns on Thursday, Mullin said DHS has already worked on a plan that includes a gate and that the site itself “will not be disrupted where the wall is going to be at.” He said he did not have exact measurements but described the barrier as “quite a ways off” from the site, though visible.

“We can’t leave it open because it is a high traffic area,” Mullin said, adding that DHS has worked with senators, visited the site, and pursued what he called “a second solution” for the area.

BOTA

Meanwhile, Escobar also addressed the Bridge of the Americas modernization project, which has drawn local attention after last month’s pushback from local officials against the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. Officials said the chamber was trying to revisit a federal decision on the project that was finalized last year after years of public input.

The General Services Administration, the federal agency overseeing the project, plans to upgrade the port of entry and eventually remove commercial cargo operations. Those trucks would shift to other crossings, including Santa Teresa, Ysleta, and Tornillo.

Escobar said GSA announced this week that three top bidders for the Bridge of the Americas project have been selected. The contract is expected to be awarded later this year, with construction expected to begin in early 2028 and final completion expected in summer 2031.

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