Disturbances and fire at Chiapas migrant station prompt security deployment

A large deployment of military, National Guard, and state police responded to disturbances and fires at the Siglo XXI migrant station in Chiapas, Mexico. The unrest reportedly began Saturday night and continued into Sunday morning, with migrants protesting alleged mistreatment.

Witnesses observed smoke rising from the facility, which houses hundreds of migrants from various nationalities who have entered Mexico without proper documentation. The National Institute of Migration (INM) had not issued an official statement regarding the events as of Sunday morning.

During the operation to quell the disturbances, which included the burning of mattresses and furniture, security forces detained two Venezuelan migrants, identified as Howard David Caballero and Henderson Villaroel Chopite. They were transferred to an INM delegation in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, hundreds of kilometers away, awaiting deportation.

Luis Villagrán, director of the Human Dignification Center A.C., criticized the INM's practices, alleging that migrants are held for extended periods without the opportunity to appeal for legal residency. He described the situation as "terrible classism" and highlighted a lack of transparency and access to legal defense for those detained. The INM has remained silent on the specifics of the incident.