INM temporarily suspended its services in Tapachula after riots of at least 500 migrants

Authorities from the National Institute of Migration (INM) temporarily suspended the attention of their services in the southern area immigration regularization office (located in the city of Tapachula, Chiapas), because hundreds of migrants attempted to enter the property violently on Friday.

In a statement, INM indicated that in the absence of conditions to guarantee the safety of the property as well as the users, it was decided to suspend the service of this office until further notice.

The group of about 500 foreigners threw stones, sticks and tried to enter the offices of the immigration regularization subdirectorate, but they were contained by elements of the National Guard (NG).

The dissatisfied destroyed two gates of the institution by beating, kicking, throwing iron, stones and objects they found on public roads.

From the street, crowds of people massively tore off a sign and used it to hit the main gate of this office countless times.

They also destroyed a video surveillance camera, glass, machines, furniture and everything they found in their way, throwing stones in the form of missiles that destroyed doors, windows and office furniture.

This is the fourth time that migrants throw stones at elements of the National Guard, and carry out violence and vandalism against migration offices.

The situation got out of control because foreigners required the authorities of the National Institute for Migration to grant them visas for humanitarian reasons that would allow them to pass freely throughout the national territory.

This incident left at least a dozen wounded who were left in the middle of the stones that came from all sides and unchecked.

Some undocumented immigrants had a broken arm, head injuries, and even one of the foreigners received a stone in the nose and mouth that left him bleeding heavily.

After the brawl, the area was reinforced with more elements of the National Guard, who now guard the gates that were affected by foreigners.

In the morning, migrants held blockades, marches and demonstrations in the streets of Tapachula with the same objective.

The region is experiencing a record flow to the United States, whose Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) detected more than 1.7 million undocumented immigrants on the Mexican border in fiscal year 2021, which ended September 30.

Mexico deported more than 114,000 foreigners in 2021, according to data from the country's Ministry of the Interior.

Mexican authorities have intercepted 73,034 foreigners with an irregular stay in the national territory between January 1 and March 8 of this year, as recently reported by the INM.

Meanwhile, the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (Comar) received a record 131,448 refugee applications in 2021.

Last Thursday, the United States Department of Justice announced the dismantling of a transnational human trafficking organization operating on the country's southern border thanks to “broad bilateral cooperation” between US and Mexican authorities.

With information from EFE

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