MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s migration institute (INM) on Wednesday said it will suspend operations at 33 migrant detention centers as the country’s rights watchdog completes a review of the sites in the wake of a fire that killed 40 migrants in government custody.
The facilities, located nationwide, can house up to 1,300 people at a time for stays of up to seven days, the migration institute said in a statement.
They will remain closed until the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) can inspect the sites and issue a final report.
The institute added it will keep operating other detention centers, without detailing how many are currently open. As of last year, INM ran a total of 57 detention centers with capacity for more than 6,800 people.
INM last month said it would work with the rights commission to evaluate conditions at migration centers. Migrant advocates had demanded close scrutiny after a fire at a detention center in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez in March killed 40 people and left others injured.
The institute’s head, Francisco Garduno, has been charged for unlawful exercise of public office over the incident. He remains in his post and has said he would not comment while the case is ongoing.
(Reporting by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Sonali Paul)