Allegations of abuse, negligence and human rights violations persist at Mexico’s largest immigration agency. Last week, authorities tried to cover up negligence in the facility’s second death in as many weeks.
The facility, known as the SigloXXI immigration center in Tapachula, Chiapas, is listed by many human rights groups as a secret detention facility used by the Mexican government to hold migrants for deportation. The Mexican government has released little information about the number of migrants held in its facilities, their status, or the current conditions under which they pass through the facilities. Mexico’s National Immigration Agency regularly issues statements regarding respect for human rights and respect for the law. However, as Breitbart, Texas and other international news organizations have revealed, corruption within the INM has led to various large-scale tragedies, including the attack on the Ciudad Juárez detention facility in March 2023. This includes a fire that killed 39 migrants.
Just last week, a 42-year-old Haitian immigrant named “Jean” allegedly suffocated overnight inside Siglo XXI and died. INM said a security guard patrolling the facility found the man unresponsive and called a doctor, but by the time an ambulance arrived he was dead.
#TarjetaInformativa | @INAMI_mx Please let us know the information on the 27th and the information of the original person. #Haiti Falleció en la Estación Migratoria Siglo XXI, de Tapachula, #Chiapas https://t.co/1Vg71luXWZ pic.twitter.com/Q33wP32IDm
— INM (@INAMI_mx) January 29, 2024
Breitbart Texas spoke with an INM director-level official who revealed that this latest case is similar to a fatal incident in November 2023 in which authorities denied medical care to a Cuban immigrant until he died. did. Investigators then tried to cover up the incident by claiming the man was taken to a clinic where he died.
In this latest case, according to information released by INM, the migrant did not respond to calls from security personnel during night patrols and immediately called for a doctor. According to official information from INM, security guards found Jean unresponsive at 10:28 p.m. However, due to the way cells are constructed and standard procedures, these claims are inconsistent.
The official said Siglo XXI is connected to INM’s mass surveillance center in Mexico City, where agents are constantly monitoring thousands of cameras, at least at first glance. However, Breitbart Texas reported that the monitoring center had little effect on preventing multiple tragedies that have plagued INM in recent years.
Migrants are currently being held in small cells with concrete bunk beds, a leaked photo shows.
Due to the way the cells are designed, there is no view from the outside. To open the door to reach the migrants, guards must pick various locks, similar to procedures in medium- and high-security prisons in Mexico.
The camps have tight security measures, but the migrants there have not been convicted of violent crimes and are simply awaiting deportation.
Breitbart Texas previously published a series of exclusive photos showing Siglo XXI guards beating migrants inside and throwing them into cells.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist at Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Breitbart, Texas Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Breitbart’s senior management team.you can follow him twitter And even more Facebook. He can be contacted at: iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Breitbart Texas Cartel His Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Breitbart’s senior management team.please follow him twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at: bdarby@breitbart.com.
