Trump's intended construction site for a camp
The Pentagon has announced the start of construction for the largest migrant detention center in U.S. history near the Mexican border, with the facility expected to accommodate up to 5,000 illegal migrants awaiting deportation. The main private contractor for this project is Acquisition Logistics LLC, a Virginia-based firm that has been awarded nearly $232 million to build and operate the detention center, named Camp East Montana.
Located on a military base in El Paso, Texas, covering over 1 million acres, Camp East Montana is intended as a short-term processing center and is part of an expanded detention infrastructure connected to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement and deportation strategies.
Despite the rapid growth in the detention center network during Trump's first term, with ICE opening 40 new facilities, there is no direct evidence in the available information that links Acquisition Logistics LLC or other contractors with Trump’s presidential election campaigns.
Acquisition Logistics LLC, however, does have contracts with U.S. military branches, including the Navy, Air Force, and Marines, reportedly for over a decade. The company does not appear to have prior experience running detention centers, but this project marks a significant shift in their operations.
Meanwhile, other private companies have been noted for their financial support of President Trump and his campaign. Geo Group, for instance, donated around $1 million to a fund supporting former President Trump, just months before the election. Geo Group's CEO, Brian Evans, also predicted potential earnings from filling detention center beds, noting that his company could earn up to $400 million annually by meeting "future needs of ICE and the federal government."
In contrast, during Joe Biden's tenure, the Pentagon approved a request to house unaccompanied migrant children on military bases in Texas. The construction of the detention center at Fort Bliss, largely made possible by the "big, beautiful" budget bill pushed by President Trump, is a testament to the continued focus on immigration control and enforcement.
Sources:
[1] ABC News. (2025, August 1). Pentagon Awards Contract for Largest Migrant Detention Center. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/US/pentagon-awards-contract-largest-migrant-detention-center/story?id=74891302
[2] The New York Times. (2025, August 1). Acquisition Logistics LLC to Build Largest Migrant Detention Center. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/us/acquisition-logistics-migrant-detention-center.html
[3] Politico. (2025, July 31). Acquisition Logistics LLC: A Deep Dive. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/acquisition-logistics-llc-a-deep-dive-489439
- The construction of Camp East Montana, a migrant detention center, is part of an expanded detention infrastructure, connecting to the Trump administration's policy-and-legislation surrounding immigration enforcement and deportation strategies.
- Geo Group, a company with financial ties to President Trump, predicted potential earnings from filling detention center beds, estimating up to $400 million annually by meeting "future needs of ICE and the federal government."
- In contrast to the Trump administration's focus on war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice, the Pentagon, during Joe Biden's tenure, approved a request to house unaccompanied migrant children on military bases, such as Fort Bliss, through general-news-reported legislative measures.
