World·Nothing is Foreign

What the deadly fire in Ciudad Juarez says about the migrant crisis

A deadly fire at a migrant centre in Juarez, Mexico has brought renewed attention to the growing number of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and the conditions they face.

Mexican officials are still investigating the cause of a deadly fire at a migrant centre

A small child, wearing a hat, is carried by an adult wearing a backpack among a group of other people crossing in hot, desert like environment. There is a fence in the distance.
Migrant families cross the Rio Bravo and attempt to cross the checkpoint to get into the U.S. on March 30, 2023, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. (Getty Images)

A devastating fire at a migrant facility in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico that killed at least 40 is the latest in a string of deadly incidents that point to a worsening crisis along the southern U.S.-Mexico border.

With the investigation still ongoing and families searching for answers, it's bringing attention to the growing number of migrants desperately seeking settlement in the U.S. and the dangerous conditions they find themselves in.

This week on Nothing is Foreign, we discuss the aftermath of the tragic fire at the Juarez detention facility, how it sheds light on the migrant crisis at the border, and what the governments on each side could be doing to address the problem.

Featuring:

  • Alicia Fernandez, freelance journalist based in Ciudad Juarez
  • Rafael Velasquez, country director for Mexico at International Rescue Committee

Nothing is Foreign, a podcast from CBC News and CBC Podcasts, is a weekly trip to where the story is unfolding. It's hosted by Tamara Khandaker.