Texas

New West Texas immigration detention facility is a

Published

5 months ago

September 11, 2025

New West Texas immigration detention facility is a

September 11, 2025 / 8:14 PM EDT
/ CBS News

El Paso, Texas — The long white tents, visible to anyone driving across East El Paso, Texas, are designed to be part of the biggest immigration holding facility in U.S. history, with a capacity for as many as 5,000 immigrants.

“That’s what it is, a giant tent city,” Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, who has been inside twice, told CBS News. “…There are hard floors. There are walls that go up, probably about three-quarters of the way to the ceiling.”

Escobar said she saw about 1,500 people inside during her last visit two weeks ago.

The government awarded Acquisition Logistics a $1.24 billion contract to build and operate the detention center, dubbed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as Camp East Montana, which opened last month.

A house in suburban Richmond, Virginia, is listed as the headquarters of Acquisition Logistics and has no public record of running a detention facility before this one.

Acquisition Logistics did not reply to messages from CBS News.

The government has built the facility on the edge of Fort Bliss, an Army post. But the immigration facility is nowhere near anything that resembles an active military base. It’s in the middle of sand dunes and scrub brush.

Fort Bliss and El Paso have a long history with immigration. Unaccompanied children stayed there under former President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama.

“I just would like to be a little more vigilant about what is going on in there,” El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego told CBS News. “I want to see it. I want to make sure.”

CBS News requested access to the facility, and asked to speak to Department of Homeland Security and ICE officials about conditions for detainees, but access was denied and they declined to comment.

“One of the things I heard repeatedly from the men who I spoke to…was that the food was so bad that it was making them sick,” Escobar said.

Escobar said some of the men inside told her they were moved to EL Paso from Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” after the government emptied that immigration detention facility to comply with a judge’s order. However, last week, a federal appeals court temporarily halted the judge’s order, effectively allowing “Alligator Alcatrez” to stay open.

“They are told nothing,” Escobar said of the detainees. “They are given no information. They don’t know if they’re going to be moved to another facility. They don’t know if they’re going to be deported. It’s like a black box for them.”

Jason Allen

Jason Allen is a CBS News correspondent based in Dallas/Fort Worth. He was previously a reporter with CBS News Texas.

Source link

Related Topics:Featured immigration texas U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Click to comment

Texas

Texas city addresses rumors of new ICE facility

Published

9 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Texas city addresses rumors of new ICE facility – CBS Texas

Watch CBS News

ICE is reportedly eyeing a warehouse that sits along I-45 near Hutchins. City leaders are poised to discuss it at an upcoming meeting this week.

Source link

Texas

Fire displaces dozens at Fort Worth senior living facility

Published

21 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Fire displaces dozens at Fort Worth senior living facility

A fire at a senior living facility in Fort Worth forced more than 50 residents to evacuate late Sunday morning. Many are now staying with nearby family, while others still don’t know where they’ll sleep tonight. Heavy smoke, soot, and water damage left the building unsafe to occupy, with conditions harsh enough to irritate eyes and throats after only a short time inside.

Source link

Texas

Date night or girls’ night? Valentine’s and Galentine’s events to love in North Texas

Published

1 day ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Date night or girls’ night? Valentine’s and Galentine’s events to love in North Texas

Love is in the air, whether you’re celebrating with a sweetheart or your closest friends. North Texas is packed with Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s events that will make February feel extra special.

Here are 10 Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day events happening around Dallas-Fort Worth as you start making plans.

VALENTINE’S WEEKEND AT REUNION TOWER

Get a breathtaking view of the Dallas skyline while celebrating on Friday and Saturday of Valentine’s Day weekend. There will be photo ops, specialty cocktails and mocktails, custom cookies, poems, and acoustic music by Mountain Natives on Friday. Saturday will feature a skyline sketch, taught by local artists.

DETAILS: Feb. 13 and 14 from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday at Reunion Tower, 300 Reunion Blvd. E, Dallas. Tickets are $63.56 per person and $124.73 for couples.

GRAPEVINE’S WINE, CHOCOLATE & ROMANCE ON MAIN TOUR

Experience an intimate Valentine’s-themed food and wine tour that takes guests on a stroll through historic Main Street in Grapevine. It will feature wine and light bites from local wineries.

DETAILS: Thursdays through Sundays in February from 3 to 5 p.m. 324 S. Main St., Grapevine. Tickets are $123 per person.

Experience an intimate Valentine s-themed food and wine tour that takes guests on a stroll through historic Main Street in Grapevine.

Courtesy of Jennifer Neal

FLAMING COCKTAIL HOT DATE NIGHT

Expect a hot date night where couples can blow and create their own heart or flower made from molten glass. Attendees can also indulge in flaming cocktails to toast their love.

DETAILS: Feb. 11-14 from noon to 7 p.m. at Vetro Glassblowing Studio & Gallery, 701 S. Main St., Grapevine. Tickets are $55 per person.

FORTWORTHIANS101 SPEED DATING EVENT

Restaurant West + Stone at Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown Hotel is co-hosting a Fortworthians101 speed-dating event. Guests are guaranteed to speak to at least 10 people and continue the conversations during a singles mixer after the speed dating concludes.

DETAILS: Feb. 10 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at West + Stone, 1701 Commerce St., Fort Worth. Ages 25-37. Speed dating tickets and mixer tickets ate $47.80; mixer-only tickets are $13.03.

VALENTINE’S WEEKEND MOVIE NIGHT AT WHISKEY RANCH

Guests are invited to bundle up and bring chairs and blankets to watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in the great outdoors. Admission includes a free first cocktail.

DETAILS: Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. at Whiskey Ranch, 2601 Whiskey Ranch Road, Fort Worth. Tickets are $11.99.

GALENTINE’S/VALENTINE’S COOKIE DECORATING & WINE

Decorate cookies with your date or gal pals at this gallery experience. While decorating cookies, enjoy two glasses of wine and admire original artworks from Texas artists.

DETAILS: This event occurs Wednesday through Sunday during February at Giddens Gallery, 624 S. Main St., Grapevine. Ages 21 and up. Tickets are $62.

While decorating cookies, enjoy two glasses of wine and admire original artworks from Texas... — While decorating cookies, enjoy two glasses of wine and admire original artworks from Texas artists at Giddens Gallery.
Courtesy of Giddens Gallery

LOVE LETTERS-RUNWAY THEATRE

Watch an intimate, moving play with your loved ones that spans decades of hopes, dreams, and heartfelt words.

DETAILS: Feb. 13-15 at 3 and 8 p.m. at Runway Theatre, 215 N Dooley St., Grapevine. Tickets are $30.

VALENTINE’S/GALENTINE’S DAY AT PEGASUS PLAZA

Take a trip to downtown Dallas with your bestie or date and attend the free Valentine’s/Galentine’s Day event at Pegasus Plaza. It will have a doggy kissing booth, free photo booth and free flowers.

DETAILS: Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pegasus Plaza, 1500 Main St., Dallas. Free.

DFW LADIES GALENTINE’S GAL HIKE

Celebrate female friendships with a hike with all your gal pals. The hike starts on the Arbor Hills Trail, heads up to the Pond of Vasil Levski, continues to the Observation Deck, and then loops back through the prairie trail. Attendees are invited to wear pink. After the hike, there will be a brunch at restaurant Whiskey Cake.

DETAILS: Feb. 7 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, 6701 West Parker Road, Plano. Free.

Celebrate female friendships with a hike with all your gal pals, hosted by Texas Ladies Get... — Celebrate female friendships with a hike with all your gal pals, hosted by Texas Ladies Get Outdoors and Travel group.
Courtesy of Texas Ladies Get Out

MCKINNEY GALENTINE’S POP UP

The Stix Icehouse will have a special Galentine’s Day celebration filled with shopping, jewelry and music bingo. Attendees can also create custom-made permanent jewelry and a trucker hat.

DETAILS: Feb. 11 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at The Stix Icehouse, 301 Eldorado Pkwy., Suite #100, McKinney. Free.

Source link