The GAO audit says evidence tied to the January death of detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos was missing or destroyed after the private contractor running Camp East Montana failed to provide use-of-force and death reports. The El Paso Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide by asphyxiation, contradicting DHS's initial account. An internal ICE inspection uncovered numerous detention-standard violations; ICE later replaced the contractor and the GAO criticized expedited contracting costs.
GAO: Evidence Missing Or Destroyed In Death Of ICE Detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos — Medical Examiner Rules Homicide
Evidence Destroyed or Lost in Death of ICE Detainee That Was Ruled a Homicide
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit released today says evidence related to the January death of a federal immigration detainee was either missing or destroyed. The GAO report notes that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a February "discrepancy report" after the private contractor that had run the Camp East Montana detention facility in Texas failed to provide use-of-force and death reports for the incident. Though the GAO report does not name the individual, the facts correspond to the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos on January 3.
What the GAO Found
The audit states that documentation tied to the incident — including use-of-force and death reports — was not provided by the prior contractor and that "evidence associated with the incident was missing or destroyed." The GAO also found that ICE spent millions to expedite the award of the contract and the rapid opening of Camp East Montana, and that ICE terminated the contract and switched to a new contractor in April.
DHS Statement and Medical Examiner Ruling
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially described the January event as a suicide attempt in which guards struggled with the detainee while attempting to save him. The El Paso Medical Examiner's Office, however, later ruled the death a homicide by asphyxiation.
Witness Accounts
"The officers entered, grabbed him," one detainee told Zeteo. "The last thing we could hear him say was: 'They are choking me, they are choking me.'"
Multiple detainee witnesses told news outlets that guards choked Lunas Campos after he repeatedly asked for his medication.
Internal ICE Inspection: Multiple Violations
An internal ICE inspection of Camp East Montana earlier this year uncovered dozens of violations of national detention standards. Inspectors reported failures to document use-of-force incidents and medical care, failure to respond to grievances about inadequate medical attention, and other serious lapses — including that a detainee with tuberculosis was not isolated and that another detainee escaped.
Agency Response And Contractor Changes
DHS did not provide additional details about the missing or destroyed evidence in response to requests. A DHS spokesperson said the new contractor will "allow Camp East Montana to continue abiding by the highest detention standards with the ability to provide more medical care on-site," and touted increased on-site staff and a "precise quality assurance surveillance plan." The spokesperson added that ICE would exercise greater oversight of contractors at the facility.
Broader Context
Allegations of medical neglect, brutality, and lack of due process have been repeatedly reported from federal immigration detention centers in recent years. A separate medical examiner's report obtained by Reason identified another recent detainee death caused by complications from a severe tooth infection. According to reporting cited by the GAO summary, some 50 people have died in ICE custody since the start of the administration's most recent term.
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