A Mexican judge closed the criminal case against former immigration chief Francisco Garduño over the deadly 2023 Ciudad Juárez detention centre fire. Victims slammed the decision as selective justice and vowed to appeal, while legal representatives argued that court-mandated reparations had been only partially fulfilled.
Judge Víctor Manlio Hernández Calderón closed the criminal case against Francisco Garduño, who formerly led the National Migration Institute, following a court hearing. Garduño had faced trial on charges of abuse of public office and dereliction of duty after security footage from the tragedy showed guards failing to respond to cries for help.
The 2023 Ciudad Juárez Fire and the Guard Inaction That Sparked Outrage
On March 27, 2023, some 70 men were crammed into a locked dormitory with no ventilation and barely any water at the Ciudad Juárez immigration detention centre, situated directly on the border with El Paso, Texas. As night fell, a small group set fire to mattresses in protest. Within seconds, thick smoke engulfed the entire holding area.
Security cameras recorded guards walking away from the area despite cries for help and without even attempting to open the gates. Only women held in a separate cell were released from the facility. The disaster killed 40 migrants and injured 30 others, making it the deadliest event ever recorded in a Mexican immigration facility. Most of the victims hailed from Central America and Venezuela.
Legal Standing and the Unfulfilled Reparations Dispute
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Judge Hernández Calderón ruled that Garduño had fulfilled the court-mandated measures required to repair the damage. Those prior orders directed Garduño to compensate families, provide free specialized medical care, issue a public apology, deliver human rights training to migration personnel, and guarantee that the events would not be repeated.
Miguel Zenteno, an attorney representing the Foundation for Justice, noted that the ruling remains open to challenge. Zenteno acknowledged that while certain measures were implemented, they were handled only partially. Damages were not paid by Garduño as stipulated by the legal process, but instead covered by the migration institute itself, and those funds failed to deliver full restitution to the families.
Victims Denounce the Ruling as Selective Justice
Victims and advocacy groups immediately rejected the court’s decision to close the criminal case, treating it as a de facto exoneration. Garduño led the National Migration Institute starting in 2019 and continued in the role until 2025 despite the fire, and is a current official at the Ministry of Education.
The organization added that the court’s conclusion confirms that justice in Mexico is selective and denies grieving relatives full reparations and concrete guarantees against future tragedies. Legal teams confirmed plans to appeal the judge’s ruling.
While Garduño’s case has been closed, other legal proceedings stemming from the fire continue. Prosecutors have accused a second former director of the migration institute of the same crimes. Meanwhile, six immigration agents—including a military officer and a private security guard—along with the two migrants accused of initiating the fire, face charges of homicide and assault, with most of those officials remaining free pending trial.
