Measles outbreak forces lockdown of Texas ICE detention facility
The East Montana Detention Facility under construction on the US-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. Photographer: Paul Ratje/Bloomberg via Getty Images
EL PASO, Texas - A measles outbreak has forced the closure of a massive immigration detention camp in far West Texas to all in-person visitors and legal counsel, officials confirmed Tuesday.
Measles outbreak at Camp East Montana
What we know:
The suspension of access at the Fort Bliss Army base facility, known as Camp East Montana, comes as 14 detainees have tested positive for the virus. According to U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, another 112 individuals are currently being held in isolation to curb the spread.
The facility is expected to remain closed to physical entry until at least March 19.
What they're saying:
In a statement provided to FOX Local, Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis confirmed that the Texas Department of Health verified the infections on March 3, 2026. Bis stated that the ICE Health Services Corps (IHSC) "immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility."
The Department of Homeland Security official noted that while in-person visitation is suspended, "detainees still have access to attorneys and visitation through Visual Attorney Visitation booths, tablets, or telephones."
Escobar expressed dual concerns regarding the outbreak, which she labeled a "preventable crisis."
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ICE imposes quarantine at Texas immigration facility after 2 measles cases confirmed
Federal officials halted all movement at a South Texas immigration detention center following two confirmed cases of measles among detainees.
"While on one hand, it is a good thing that the measles outbreak is being taken seriously, on the other hand, I am alarmed that a preventable crisis has created conditions where detainees can only access their lawyers virtually," Escobar said in a statement.
Her concerns echo ongoing criticisms of the facility. The Associated Press reports that the camp, which opened last year under a contract worth up to $1.3 billion, has been described by detainees as housing an average of 3,000 people per day in "loud and unsanitary quarters" where "diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury."
Despite the outbreak, DHS officials defended the medical treatment being provided to those in custody.
"It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care—including access to vaccines," Bis stated, adding that the services provided include medical, dental, and mental health care. "This is the best healthcare than many aliens have received in their entire lives."
Dig deeper:
The measles virus was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but according to The Associated Press, the disease "ripped through Texas communities last year" as funding for vaccine programs was cut. West Texas has been hit particularly hard by the resurgence.
The Source: Information in this article is from DHS and the Associated Press.