Story perspectives

Rights Groups Sue Montana Detention Camp Over 49 Violations, Deaths

6/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

Civil rights groups filed the first federal lawsuit alleging constitutional violations at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention center.
A congressional inspection in February documented 49 violations of detention standards, including 11 involving use of force and five concerning medical care.
Three detainees have died since the camp opened, with a fourth dying after release following denied chemotherapy.
Lawmakers who visited the site have called for the facility’s shutdown.

History

Historical Context

The 1997 Flores Settlement, born from the 1985 Flores v. Meese suit and the 1993 Reno v. Flores decision, obliges ICE to house detained minors in the least-restrictive setting and release them within about 20 days. After the DOJ’s 2018 attempt to loosen the rule and the Trump administration’s 2019 repeal effort failed, civil-rights groups now sue Camp East Montana, invoking the same Flores standards.

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Story summary

Civil rights groups filed the first federal lawsuit alleging constitutional violations at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention center.
A congressional inspection in February documented 49 violations of detention standards, including 11 involving use of force and five concerning medical care.
Three detainees have died since the camp opened, with a fourth dying after release following denied chemotherapy.
Lawmakers who visited the site have called for the facility’s shutdown.

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