09/04/2026
We obtained recordings of more than 160 emergency calls made from or about the Camp East Montana immigration detention center in El Paso, Texas — where three people died within six weeks between December 2025 and January 2026.
These calls offer a glimpse of unfolding crises faced by those locked inside, with few ways to get help:
➡️ Oct. 12: A man calls three times, desperately trying to get a detainee, whom he identified as his partner, emergency care for his kidney stones. “They will not give them medical treatment; they don’t care,” he says.
➡️ Nov. 2: A nurse at the facility dialed 911 on behalf of a 46-year-old woman with COVID-19. “The issue is we don’t have any oxygen for her,” she says. “She just doesn’t look good.”
A DHS spokesperson did not comment on the specific issues identified in the calls, but said the facility provides “comprehensive medical services” and that detainees are referred to local emergency services as needed.
Many of the 911 calls are difficult to listen to, with some containing descriptions of su***de or attempted su***de. If you are able to, please read the full story here: https://propub.li/4qNBJhP
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And if you or someone you know needs help, here are a few resources:
Call the National Su***de Prevention Lifeline: 988
Text the Crisis Text Line from anywhere in the U.S. to reach a crisis counselor: 741741
