U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is facing renewed scrutiny after traveling outside his district to attack a federal immigration detention facility in El Paso—a move critics say underscores his consistently open-borders posture and ongoing efforts to undermine immigration enforcement across the region.
Vasquez conducted what he described as a “Congressional Oversight” visit to Camp East Montana, the largest ICE detention facility in the country, before publicly calling for its closure. Despite the facility being located in Texas, Vasquez justified the trip by stating, “This camp is in my community’s backyard, and what happens here is incredibly relevant for my constituents in New Mexico’s second district, as it is for every American in this country,” according to reporting by KVIA.com.
Following the visit, Vasquez took to social media—posting in Spanish—to condemn the facility and broader immigration enforcement practices. “This is no way to treat people,” he wrote. “What I saw today is not a way to reflect our American values.” In a video message, he added, “We cannot continue to hold folks inhumanely, separate them from their families… This is no way to treat human beings. And that’s why I’m continuing to call for the closure of Camp East Montana.”
According to KVIA, Vasquez spent roughly two hours inside the facility, touring detainee housing pods, medical areas, and the law library, where he spoke with detainees. He claimed, “The conditions that I saw inside the detention facility today, I believe, are beneath our American values,” and further alleged that detainees were “scared of speaking out” and feared “punishment from guards inside the facility.”
Vasquez also criticized federal officials for failing to provide requested data, saying, “I’m here to get answers. I got almost no answers… It is a shame that as a member of Congress with direct oversight authority, they couldn’t even give me the simple facts,” particularly regarding how many detainees had violent criminal records.
The latest remarks are consistent with Vasquez’s broader record on immigration, which includes opposition to border wall construction—previously labeling it racist—along with repeated criticism of federal immigration enforcement agencies. He has also aligned himself with efforts to shut down detention facilities in New Mexico, including those in Otero County, a move that would eliminate hundreds of local jobs tied to immigration detention operations.
That economic impact has become a growing point of contention. Facilities like the Otero County Processing Center and similar operations across the border region support rural economies that rely heavily on federal contracts. Critics argue that Vasquez’s push to dismantle detention infrastructure would not only weaken immigration enforcement but also devastate local employment in both southern New Mexico and nearby Texas communities.
His decision to publicly attack Camp East Montana—while advocating for the closure of facilities in his own state—comes as he faces a competitive reelection campaign. Republican challenger Greg Cunningham is expected to center the race on border security, public safety, and economic stability, framing Vasquez’s positions as misaligned with the priorities of voters in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.
As immigration remains a dominant issue in the region, Vasquez’s latest comments—and his broader record—are likely to remain a focal point heading into November, highlighting a stark contrast in approaches to border enforcement and federal immigration policy.