Ciudad Juárez Migrant Fire: A Year On, Justice Remains Elusive for Victims and Survivors
CIUDAD JUÁREZ, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO – As the one-year anniversary of the devastating fire at the National Migration Institute (INM) Provisional Station in Ciudad Juárez approaches, organizations representing the bereaved and surviving victims are issuing a stark warning: without genuine justice and comprehensive reparations, Mexico’s ‘Fourth Transformation’ (4T) government cannot credibly claim to uphold human rights.
The tragic incident, which occurred on March 27, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 40 migrants, left 27 men with physical injuries, and caused significant psychological trauma to 15 women. A joint statement released yesterday, on International Human Rights Day, by Derechos Humanos Integrales en Acción (DHIA), Fundación para la Justicia y el Estado Democrático y de Derecho (FJEDD), and Instituto para las Mujeres en la Migración (IMUMI), underscores that the debt owed to these victims remains unpaid.
Unanswered Questions and Lingering Injustices
In the realm of criminal justice, investigations and legal proceedings are still ongoing against eleven individuals associated with the INM, the private security company, and its personnel. However, the path to justice has been fraught with inconsistencies and perceived inequalities.
A public apology issued last September by former INM Commissioner Francisco Garduño Yáñez was acknowledged by the organizations as an ‘advance,’ but they critically noted its limitations. The apology was a condition for the partial fulfillment of reparation measures, allowing for the suspension of his criminal proceedings. The organizations lamented that the judge left the organization of the event to the Executive Commission for Victim Assistance (CEAV) at Garduño’s request, arguing that this ‘sends the wrong message that the State bears the responsibilities of individuals,’ in this case, Garduño Yáñez.
Victim representatives emphasized that Garduño still has the obligation to ensure comprehensive reparations for the 40 deceased migrants and 27 survivors, in his capacity as an accused party, rather than shifting this burden to the State. These measures are slated for review in September 2026.
Disparities in Justice and Reparation
Adding to the legal complexities is an appeal filed against the judicial decision to grant the former federal official a conditional suspension of his criminal process. Garduño was accused solely of the crime of illicit exercise of public service, while other defendants face charges of homicide and injuries. This disparity, the organizations argue, starkly ‘evidences the inequalities in access to justice and comprehensive reparation for damages for victims.’
Furthermore, a state patrimonial responsibility lawsuit before the Federal Court of Administrative Justice is in its initial stages. Only a portion of the victims are included in this process, awaiting a formal response from the INM, further highlighting the fragmented and incomplete nature of the reparations.
Unrecognized Victims and Unimplemented Recommendations
A critical demand from human rights organizations is the recognition of 15 women survivors as victims. This recognition would grant them full participation in criminal proceedings and access to vital reparation measures, including psychological support, medical attention, and economic compensation.
The organizations reiterated their insistence on comprehensive reparations for all surviving victims and expressed disappointment that Recommendation 111VG/23 from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has yet to be fulfilled. This recommendation was directed at the Secretariats of Interior and Foreign Affairs, and at the time, to then-INM Commissioner Francisco Garduño. The organizations note a lack of progress or information regarding its implementation, despite formal requests from victim representatives.
A Call for Dignity and Prevention
On International Human Rights Day, the organizations underscored that the State still bears pending responsibilities in this case. They warned that ‘every step is indispensable to dignify the victims and to ensure that a tragedy like that of Ciudad Juárez does not happen again. No person, regardless of their nationality, should die for seeking better living conditions, much less for not having the door opened to them,’ a poignant reference to the circumstances that led to the deaths of the 40 migrants.
The ongoing struggle for justice in Ciudad Juárez serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by migrants and the critical need for accountability from state institutions. The organizations vow to continue their fight until all victims receive the justice and reparations they deserve, ensuring that such a tragedy is never repeated.
Source: https://www.proceso.com.mx/nacional/estados/2025/12/12/organizaciones-exigen-justicia-por-incendio-de-2023-ocurrido-en-el-inm-de-ciudad-juarez-364565.html
