Deadly Fire at Mexican Immigration Detention Center Claims at Least 39 Lives

During the night, a fire broke out at a Mexican immigration detention center located on the U.S. border, resulting in the deaths of at least 39 people, according to a statement released by the National Immigration Institute (INM) early Tuesday. Video footage from the scene showed multiple bodies covered in blankets outside the facility in Ciudad Juárez. The INM’s statement also reported that 29 individuals were seriously injured and taken to local hospitals. It is currently unclear what caused the fire, but the Mexican attorney general has initiated a formal investigation, and investigators are present at the site.

The facility housed 68 adult men from Central and South America, and the INM is in communication with consular officials to identify the victims. The Guatemalan Institute of Migration later announced that 28 of the deceased had been identified as Guatemalan nationals, and the organization intends to work with their families to repatriate their remains. Numerous ambulances and fire crews responded to the incident.

The Guatemalan Institute of Migration also commented on the dangers of irregular migration, urging individuals to make informed decisions before embarking on such journeys. The organization stated that “irregular migration carries with it a series of risks, which have once again become evident; once again we call on the population to analyze and make the right decisions before embarking on such journeys, which often have no return or final destination.”

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