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Project Salt Box
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Amentum Services stands to earn nearly $2.8 billion running Camp East Montana, the tent detention camp at Fort Bliss in El Paso, under a revised no-bid justification from ICE. That is more than double the $1.2 billion estimate reported in July. The document describes the camp as "temporary."

projectsaltbox.comICE plans to extend no-bid Camp East Montana contract to $2.8 billionICE calls the El Paso tent camp temporary. The plan would keep Amentum Services there into 2028. Amentum took over in March, after three deaths and dozens of violations under the previous contractor.

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Project Salt Box
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Amentum began at the camp as a subcontractor to Acquisition Logistics, which won the Army’s contract in July 2025. After three deaths and an inspection that found 49 violations, ICE dropped that contractor and gave Amentum a $453 million no-bid deal in March. It was extended in July.

Project Salt Box
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The justification uses circular logic: It says Amentum is the only firm that can run the camp because Amentum already runs it under a no-bid contract and owns the equipment. It says no other firm showed interest, but the March notice told companies the government was not seeking competitive quotes.

Project Salt Box
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A death review ICE posted to its FOIA library, then removed, says guards used force on Geraldo Lunas Campos after he wrapped a sweatshirt around his neck. Nurses found him without a pulse about seven minutes later. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. We archived the review.

github.compsb-foia/ice/FOIA Library Artifacts/ICE Mortality Reports at main · projectsaltbox/psb-foiaFOIA requests and released records for Project Salt Box's reporting on ICE detention and federal contracting. - projectsaltbox/psb-foia
Project Salt Box
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The GAO found the original contract had ICE paying for meals and services for 5,000 people when the camp held about 1,600 in February. DHS promised to switch to pricing by headcount by year’s end. The new plan for Amentum sets a fixed monthly price and does not mention that change.