Luisa went to an office in Mexico to regularize her stay but ended up being detained. The death of 39 migrants in one of these facilities exposed yet another abuse against those who seek to reach the United States. The place where she was held captive for months was described by Luisa as a “dungeon,” a detention center for criminals.
She was taken there with the promise of obtaining a permit to stay in Mexico before seeking asylum in the United States, but was actually notified that she had to leave the country. Similarly, Moises Chavez describes the place as malodorous, where agents treat migrants with disdain. The Institute of National Migration, which runs these facilities, has been under scrutiny since the fire that killed 39 migrants. According to Moises, there are no fire extinguishers or smoke detectors, only cameras.
The recent tragedy unfolded when a migrant set fire to mattresses during a protest against possible deportation, and none of the agents or private security guards tried to open the cell or evacuate the 68 detained people. According to Amnesty International, in 2022, the authorities will have detained at least 318,660 people in immigration facilities and deported about 106,000, including minors. The organization calls for an end to this mechanism that has caused countless damages, torture, and cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment to thousands of migrants.
The UN office in Mexico recalled that the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration prohibits arbitrary detention and calls for legal detention to last as little time as possible.