Mystery surrounds $1.2 billion Army contract to build huge detention tent camp in Texas desert
Washington (AP) – When President Donald Trump’s management Last month, he gave a contract up to $ 1.2 billion to build and operate what he said. The country’s largest immigration detention complexHe did not turn to a large government contractor or even a company specialized in private prisons.
Instead, the project delivered the project to a purchasing LLC, a small business, a small business that has no federal contract that has never gained a federal contract that has never gained a federal contract for more than $ 16 million at a military base. The company also lacks a operating website and lists a 77 -year -old retired navy flight officer as a modest house in the suburban Virginia.
Gizem on the award deepened last week when the new facility began to accept its first prisoners. Pentagon refused to publish the contract or announced why he chose a dozen other bidder to build the huge tent camp in Fort Bliss in Western Texas. At least one contestant filed a complaint.
Experts said that the contract process is symbolic and that the government was a wider hurry to fulfill the government Republican president’s hostage Arrest and deport to deport Estimated 10 million immigrants Living in the United States without permanent legal status. As part of this pressure, the government is traditionally returning to the army to fulfill the tasks left to civilian agencies.
A congress member who recently visited the camp said he was worried that such a small and inexperienced company is entrusted to build and carry out a facility expected to host up to 5,000 immigrants.
“Standards are very easy to shift,” Veronica Escobar said, a democratic democrat, a democrat. “Private facilities work with a very frequent profit margin in contrast to a state facility.”
Lawyer Joshua Schnell, specialized in the Federal Agreement Law, said Trump administration was troubled about giving little information about the facility.
“Lack of transparency about this contract leads to legitimate questions about why the army would make such a large contract, without any other public information that shows a website or the ability to realize such a complex project,” he said.
Ken A. Wagner, President and CEO of Acquisition Logistics, did not respond to phone messages or e -mails. Nobody answered the door in the three -bedroom house listed as the center of the company. Virginia Records lists Wagner as the owner of the business, but it is unclear whether it has partners.
The army refuses to release the contract
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth It has been approved using Fort Bliss for the new detention center and the management hopes to build more on other basis. The army spokesman refused to discuss his agreement with the purchasing logistics or to file a lawsuit against the company’s qualifications by explaining details about the construction of the camp.
The US Department of Internal Security, which includes the US immigration and customs Protection, refused to answer questions about the detention camp.
The so -called Camp East Montana for the nearest road is being built in the Sand and rubbing Chihuahuan desert, where summer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees and deaths related to heat are common. The 60-acre (24 hectare) site is close to the US-Mexican border and El Paso International Airport. deportation flights.
The camp made comparisons. “Crocodile Alcatraz,” In Florida Everglades, a $ 245 million tent complex was built to keep ice prisoners. This facility has been the subject of complaints about unhealthy conditions and cases. A federal judge lately He ordered the closure of the facility.
The vast majority of approximately 57,000 immigrants detained by ICE Private Prisons It is operated by companies such as Florida’s Geo Group and Tennessee -based Corejivic. When these facilities are full, Ice also explored temporary options in military bases in California, New York and Utah.
Construction in Fort Bliss began on 18 July in the days after the army regulating the contract. The Congress began before Trump’s invoice of major tax and expenditure deductions, before breaking a record of 45 billion dollars for immigration practices. The Ministry of Defense announced that only the army had the first $ 232 million financing for the first 1,000 beds for the first 1,000 beds.
According to satellite images examined by the Associated Press, three white tents were built, each of which is about 810 meters long. Half a dozen smaller buildings surround them.
Setareh Ghandehari, the spokesman of the Detention Group detention clock, was imprisoned in army camps, including Japanese Americans, Fort Bliss, the use of military bases. He said he had returned to World War II. He said that military facilities were especially prone to abuse and neglect, because their families and loved ones had difficulty accessing them.
“The conditions in all detention facilities are naturally terrible, Ghar said Ghanddehari. “However, when there is less access and surveillance, it creates more potential for worse.”
The company will be responsible for security
The 9 June request notification for the Fort Bliss project will be responsible for the construction and operation of the contracting detention center, including safety and medical care. The document also requires strict privacy that represents the contractors to respond to calls from congress members or news media.
The proposal was only open to small companies such as acquiring preferential status, as it was classified as a small disadvantage of veteran and Hispanik.
President Donald Trump’s management fought Prohibition diversity, equality and inclusion programsFederal contract rules are Set-ASIDS for small enterprises with women or minorities. In order for a firm to compete for such contracts, at least 51% must belong to the disadvantaged racial or ethnic groups.
One of the lost bids, Texas -based Gemini Tech Services, a protest that challenged the award and the US State accountability office of the US State accountability, made the construction timeline that rushed with the independent surveillance branch that resolved such disagreements.
According to a person who is not authorized to discuss the issue and is familiar with the complaint about anonymity, he claims that the purchasing logistics lacks experiences, staff and resources to do the job. According to Federal records, the past works of purchasing logistics include the repair of small boats for the air force, to provide information technology support to the defense department, and to build temporary offices to assist the sanction of immigration.
Gemini and his lawyer did not respond to messages looking for comments.
GAO is not expected to continue, reject, or reject a corrective action before November. The legal appeal continues with a US Federal Court in Washington.
The contract lawyer Schnell said that purchasing logistics could work with a larger company. Geo Group Inc. and the country’s biggest profit -free prison operators Corecivic Corp., Pentagon and immigrants said they were interested in hosting.
George Zoley, CEO of Geo Group, said that his company was working with a built -in Pentagon Contractor. Zoley did not name the company and Geo Group did not respond to the repeated requests asking who he had established a partnership.
Corecivic spokesperson, purchasing logistics or twins did not establish a partnership, he said.
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Goodman reported from Miami. Richmond contributed to this report, Alan Suderman, AP reporter in VA.
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Contact AP’s global research team at indexative@ap.org. https://www.ap.org/tips/.
