Congressmen Grijalva and Garcia express heartbreak for lives lost in deadly fire

WASHINGTON (KYMA, KECY) - After a deadly fire at a migrant detention facility in Ciudad Júarez, Mexico, Rep. Jesús "Chuy" Garcia (D-Illinois) and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona) say "we need an immigration system rooted in compassion, not criminalization."

Rep. Garcia and Rep. Grijalva released the following statement:

“We are horrified by the news of the fire at a migrant detention facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, which killed dozens of South and Central American migrants. Our hearts break for all those who lost a loved one in this preventable tragedy. We are also horrified by videos of the incident, which appear to show detention center guards calmly walking away as fire spreads in the holding cell. These events deserve a full investigation by Mexican authorities.

“This tragedy cannot be separated from the current context of regional migration, a context in which United States policy plays a powerful role. Our immigration system forces migrants and asylum seekers into prison-like conditions on both sides of the U.S.- Mexico border. It’s long past time for change. We need an immigration system rooted in compassion, not criminalization.”