FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2023
D.C. Vigil To Honor the 39 Migrants Killed in Juarez Mexico Detention Center Fire
WASHINGTON – CODEPINK, along with George Washington University students from UndocuGW and the university's chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the local DC community will gather on Saturday in mourning of the victims of the horrific fire in a detention facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Students and activists are outraged at this loss of life that has stemmed from the inhumane migration policies the Biden administration insists on pursuing. The vigil is to honor those who were left to die by border enforcers.
Ángel Lagunas, president of GW’s League of United Latin American Citizens: “I decided to organize this vigil because nobody else did. I want us to remember the people that have been lost to border violence. Those that we have lost recently and those that we have lost in the desert or the rivers who are unnamed. These imaginary lines are drawn to isolate the privileged from the brutal actions they have taken in other countries. I want for this vigil to be a place where the lines between school and community are blurred, to get people connected.”
Samantha Wherry, coordinator of CODEPINK’s Latin America Team: “We want to honor and be in solidarity with the victims and their families during this really painful time. We also want the Biden administration to effectively address the root cause of migration so that other people don’t have to take dangerous journeys and face the same violence. People in Latin America and the Caribbean are forced to take treacherous journeys oftentimes because of policies that can be traced back to the U.S. Whether militarization, neoliberal policies, or sanctions, these policies aggravate existing racism, inequality and colonial legacies, leaving many vulnerable and with no choice but to leave their country.
On March 27, a fire broke out at a Mexican immigrant detention center in Ciudad Juárez. The fire claimed the lives of 39 people who were helplessly left in the burning building to die. Those being detained at the center were there simply because they wanted to seek asylum in the United States. Since in office, President Biden’s migration policy has left the borders virtually closed. That inhumane approach to immigration forced the conditions that led to the deadly fire. As Rep. Joaquín Castro, a Texas Democrat, tweeted.
“The deadly fire in Juárez should never have happened. Title 42 and other Trump-era holdovers are forcing migrants into dangerous, overcrowded conditions in Mexico. “The Biden admin needs to withdraw its asylum ban and work w/ Mexico to protect migrants on both sides of the border.”
The vigil will take place on Saturday, April 8, 6-9 pm at Lafayette Square – Pennsylvania Ave NW & 16th St NW.
For more information please contact:
Julian Abeledo, GW LULAC President
###
