Migrants Torch Camp Amid Mexican Authorities’ Crackdown In Northern Mexico
On Saturday, migrants in a makeshift camp in Chihuahua, a northern Mexican city near the U.S. border, torched blankets and mattresses in protest as government agents raided the camp to clear it. The operation, conducted by Mexican authorities, occurs just days before the swearing-in of the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has criticized Mexico for insufficient efforts to control the flow of immigrants to the United States and threatened harsh economic measures.
About 250 Mexican officials, including National Guard military police in riot gear, surrounded the camp at midnight, according to witnesses on the scene. The encampment, home to around 150 migrants, mostly Venezuelan families, erupted into chaos as fires broke out and families scrambled to escape with their children and belongings.
Witnesses have stated that the migrants lit their bedding and other belongings on fire as a protest against the sudden enforcement action. The fires did not result in any casualties or injuries, and the flames were extinguished within an hour.
The raid left many migrants confused and terrified. Venezuelan migrant Daniel Barrios described the scene as overwhelming and questioned the necessity of deploying such a large force in the middle of the night. “They surrounded the camp, saying they wanted to talk and inspect the area. Tell me, is it logical to come with this whole police and military force at midnight, instead of during the day?” Barrios said.
Another migrant family, visibly traumatized, recounted their fears and uncertainty. “The police came, and migration officials. We don’t know what’s happening,” a man said as he hugged two toddlers in his arms as smoke belched behind him. Nearby, a woman clutched her kids, bawling as she recounted the pandemonium.
In line with an anonymous migration official, the operation sought to force the migrants to retreat back to Mexico’s southern border and then return to their countries of origin. Information on how many migrants the officials arrested in the operation is still not available.
The National Migration Institute of Mexico has not made any comment on the matter.
The camp has emerged as a refugee stop for many migrants crossing north to the United States from Ciudad Juárez, which is roughly 220 miles away. It is common to find many migrants from other countries, notably Venezuelans, are being forced out of their home countries due to bad economies and politics.
The raid coincides with mounting tensions between Mexico and the U.S. over migration. President-elect Trump has accused Mexico of failing to curb the flow of migrants into the U.S. and has proposed significant tariffs and stricter border enforcement as part of his agenda.
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