The National Institute of Migration (INM) of Mexico released an official statement on Wednesday addressing allegations of conducting immigration raids in Mexico City. This comes in response to widespread criticism and comparisons to the United States' Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
The statement, shared on the INM's Facebook page, firmly denies these accusations, stating, "The National Institute of Migration clarifies that it does not conduct raids and has not executed any such operations as reported by some users and media on social networks."
INM justified its actions by explaining that they were in response to a collaboration request from Mexico City authorities aimed at preventing criminal activities. The agency reiterated its "commitment to respecting the human rights of all individuals."
Contrary to INM's denial, numerous eyewitness accounts and videos show operations in at least eight neighborhoods and districts in the capital since April 30.
One of the most documented incidents involved a Cuban woman detained on the night of May 4 in a building in the San Rafael neighborhood, Cuauhtémoc borough, along with ten other migrants.
Her husband, Alexis, a Mexican citizen, reported that agents from the Navy, traffic police, auxiliary police, and INM refused to identify themselves and did not present any official warrant.
The Cuban woman was taken to the "Las Agujas" Immigration Station in Iztapalapa and later relocated to the state of Veracruz.
On May 5, at least 15 INM agents entered a building in the Guerrero neighborhood without a judicial warrant. The Jesuit Migrant Network Mexico also documented raids on private homes of young Venezuelans in the Doctores neighborhood, who were also taken to "Las Agujas" and later to the "Siglo XXI" station in Tapachula.
The organization described the operations as a "highly militarized immigration control scheme" involving the INM, Army, Navy, National Guard, and Mexico City's Citizen Security Secretariat.
Civil organizations connect these operations to a "order and cleanliness" policy in public spaces in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with host cities in Mexico including Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The Jesuit Network warned, "An international event cannot be used as a pretext to legitimize practices of harassment, criminalization, and expulsion of migrants."
The irony was not lost on social media: Mexico has publicly criticized ICE raids under the Trump administration while seemingly replicating similar practices on its own soil. The phrase "They criticize ICE and are doing the same" went viral, encapsulating the outrage.
The situation is particularly dire for Cubans. Since February 2026, the Trump administration has deported approximately 6,000 Cubans to Mexico, with two to three weekly flights to Chiapas and Tabasco. Over 10,000 Cubans are stranded in Tapachula without consular support from the Cuban embassy, and between 1,200 and 1,500 have marched in a caravan to the capital seeking better conditions, increasing their vulnerability to these operations.
ICE increased its detentions of Cubans by 463% between October 2024 and the end of 2025, according to the Cato Institute.
The Jesuit Network summarized the systemic contradiction: "The irregularity that the State uses as justification to detain these individuals is an irregularity that the State itself has created and continues to perpetuate," referring to the collapse of Mexico's asylum system, which leaves tens of thousands of migrants in legal limbo for over ten months.
Key Questions About Mexico's Immigration Operations
What has the INM said about the alleged raids in Mexico City?
The INM has officially denied conducting any raids, stating their actions were part of a collaborative effort with local authorities to prevent potential criminal activities.
Why are these operations being compared to ICE?
The operations have drawn comparisons to ICE due to their perceived militarized approach and the detainment of migrants, similar to methods criticized by Mexico when conducted by the U.S. under the Trump administration.
What impact does the FIFA World Cup have on these operations?
Civil organizations suggest that these operations are part of a "order and cleanliness" policy to prepare public spaces for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, using the event as a pretext for migrant expulsions.