Mexico City: ‘Sanctuary City’ Claim Contradicted by Migrant Raids Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
Mexico City, May 16, 2026 – Mexico City, despite its self-proclaimed status as a “sanctuary city,” is currently facing strong criticism from human rights organizations over a series of migrant raids. The Red TDT network, comprising 88 collectives, has denounced that since May 1, 2026, the National Institute of Migration (INM), in conjunction with the Armed Forces and police corporations, has been conducting these operations. These actions are reportedly part of a “clean-up” in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to take place in Mexico City in June of this year.
Widespread Concern Over Arbitrary Detentions and Home Invasions
In an official statement, Red TDT expressed its “deep concern and rejection” of the migratory operations. According to documented information from various collectives, media outlets, and direct testimonies, these raids are being carried out in central neighborhoods such as Guerrero, Doctores, Polanco, and San Rafael. The organization reports that these operations involve arbitrary detentions of individuals in situations of mobility, as well as home invasions and searches of residences and spaces inhabited by migrants.
Red TDT asserts that among those detained are asylum seekers, refugees, and individuals with ongoing migratory regularization processes. The organization highlights that in most cases, their irregular status is due to institutional delays and backlogs rather than any negligence on the part of the affected individuals.
Militarized Operations Prioritize Control Over Human Rights
The deployment of the National Guard, Army, Navy, and police corporations is described as a militarized operation that prioritizes control and “urban clean-up” over the protection of human rights. Red TDT deems it ethically and legally unacceptable to use an international sporting event as a pretext for the persecution and harassment of migrants in the capital.
Demands for Immediate Halt to Raids and Investigation of Human Rights Violations
In light of the current constitutional and conventional human rights framework, Red TDT demands that the Mexico City government immediately cease any operations resulting in arbitrary detentions based on racial profiling, apparent nationality, or language, and that are conducted without full respect for due process and human dignity.
The organization insists that all interventions in the capital adhere to civil and protection criteria, avoiding the use of armed forces in migration control tasks, in accordance with the non-military nature of citizen security. Furthermore, they request special protection for children, adolescents, women (including pregnant women), and LGBTI+ individuals in mobility situations, preventing their detention and separation from support networks.
Red TDT also calls for the establishment of an urgent coordination mechanism with shelters, organizations, and collectives that support migrants in the city, prioritizing channeling individuals to protection and regularization schemes over detention and forced transfer.
The organization urges the Mexico City Human Rights Commission (CDHCM) to initiate ex officio investigations into potential human rights violations stemming from these operations. These include arbitrary detentions, warrantless home invasions, incommunicado detention, and obstacles to accessing legal defense.
Additionally, Red TDT requests the CDHCM to deploy observation brigades in areas where raids have been reported and in migratory stations, to document the situation of detainees and issue precautionary measures when necessary. The organization calls for a strong public statement reminding the Mexico City Government and the INM of their obligations to respect the principle of non-refoulement, the right to asylum, and due process guarantees.
Finally, Red TDT requests the strengthening of information campaigns on migrants’ rights, targeting transit populations, neighborhoods, and local authorities, to prevent abuses and foster solidarity.
Call to Action for Mexico City Residents
Red TDT reiterates that no person is illegal and that migration represents a search for a dignified life and protection. The organization points out that Mexico City has historically defined itself as a “Sanctuary City,” and that militarized operations, mass detentions, and fear in the streets contradict this commitment and weaken trust in institutions.
As human rights organizations and defenders, Red TDT continues to provide legal, psychosocial, and humanitarian assistance to detained or at-risk individuals; documents and publicly denounces any abuse; and strengthens support networks with communities, parishes, migrant shelters, and neighborhood collectives.
The organization calls on Mexico City society not to normalize these raids, to seek information from reliable sources, and to express rejection of all forms of criminalization of human mobility. “The city is measured by how it treats those who arrive in it. No world party justifies the persecution of those who flee to stay alive,” the statement concluded.
