A raging fire at a migrant center near the United States-Mexico border resulted in at least 40 deaths, and officials believe the asylum seekers started the blaze in protest of their pending deportation.
According to AP News, the incident broke out on Monday night at a National Migration Institute-run center in Ciudad Jurez, Mexicodirectly across the border from El Paso, Texas.
A total of 68 men were being housed in the center at the time, and initial reports cited 39 deaths while the remaining 29 were transported to hospitals in “delicate-serious condition.” However, the death toll was eventually cited as having increased to 40.
The injured and deceased were reportedlyidentified as being from the Central and South American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Guatemala Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Bcaro notes that the vast majority of the deceased were Guatemalan citizens.
Notably, AP News reports thatAndrs Manuel Lpez Obradorthe president of Mexicosaid the fire was started by the migrants themselves after learning they’d be deported.
Regarding how the situation played out, Lpez Obrador added, “They never imagined that this would cause this terrible misfortune.”
However, we have to note that there’s some pushback against officials’ narrative that the migrants started the fire themselves. In fact, Dallas Morning News correspondent Alfredo Corchado notes that one Haitian migrant slammed the situation as “a crime against humanity.”
We want justice. This is a crime against humanity.
Additionally, Felipe Gonzlez Moralesthe UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights of Migrantsblames the tragedy on “the extensive use of immigration detention.”
There are no further updates at this time. We send our prayers and condolences to the survivors, as well as the families of those who perished.
