Mexican court closes case against official over 2023 detention centre fire

What the report says

A Mexican judge has closed the case against Francisco Garduno, the former head of the National Migration Institute, over the 2023 fire at a detention centre in Ciudad Juarez that killed 40 migrants and injured 30 more. Al Jazeera, citing Associated Press reporting, said the ruling came from Judge Victor Manlio Hernandez Calderon, who found Garduno had completed the court-ordered steps tied to repairing the harm caused by the disaster.

The fire broke out on March 27, 2023, in a locked dormitory at the border facility near El Paso, Texas. According to the report, about 70 men were held there with poor ventilation and little water, and security footage showed guards leaving while people inside cried for help. The tragedy drew wide criticism of Mexico’s immigration detention system and its alleged failures in oversight and emergency response.

Victims’ groups rejected the decision and said they would appeal, describing it as a de facto exoneration and a sign of selective justice. A legal representative for one victims’ foundation said the reparations were only partially carried out and did not fully compensate families, while access to medical care and the public apology were also criticized as inadequate.

The case remains legally unsettled because an appeal is expected and another challenge is pending over the reparations order. In broader terms, the case has become a prominent test of accountability for officials linked to migrant deaths in custody, with several other immigration personnel and two migrants still facing related charges, according to the report.