Report cites Cubans among the migrants most subjected to kidnappings and other abuses in Mexico

Cubans are among the migrants who have been the most victims of human rights abuses when they are returned to Mexico by the United States while awaiting their political asylum process, along with Salvadorans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.

This is confirmed by a report published by the organization Human Rights First, which ensures that citizens of the aforementioned nationalities are subjected to kidnapping, torture, sexual rape and violent attacks.

“Trump administration officials continue to knowingly send people who have requested refugee protection to be kidnapped, exploited, beaten, raped, and even murdered in Mexico,” said Kennji Kizuka of Human Rights First.

“The extensive and growing public accounts of kidnappings and attacks against asylum seekers who were returned to remain in Mexico are very alarming. "The worst thing is that many more men, women and children have certainly suffered attacks, the numbers we have are just cases that have been reported," he added.

Kizuka also noted that despite overwhelming evidence that these forced returns are a human rights catastrophe, "the Trump administration and DHS officials continue to implement, expand and defend their illegal and dangerous returns."

The report details that there are at least 636 publicly reported cases of kidnapping, rape, torture, assault and other violent attacks against asylum seekers and migrants who returned to Mexico.

Of this total, there are at least 138 reports of kidnappings or attempted kidnappings of children.

"Until this policy is ended or eliminated, people will continue to suffer and Trump Administration officials cannot evade responsibility for these massive human rights abuses and suffering," Kizuka added.

Certainly, there have been many complaints of abuse of citizens of the Island in Mexico. Such is the case of the Cuban Tania Leiva, 33 years old, who recently declared: "They have treated us very badly. They don't treat us like people, they treat us like simple rats that migrated."

Last September, Cuban migrants who were held under inhumane conditions at the Siglo XXI Station in Tapachula (Chiapas), reported that they suffered abuse by federal authorities.

In addition, four Cuban migrants, who were detained for 3 months at the Janos immigration station, have filed a lawsuit against the seventh district judge of the State of Chihuahua, northern Mexico, for alleged “abuse of authority.”