Eighteen Belizeans Detained in Mexico on Immigration Offenses in the Last Six Weeks

Oscar Arnold

Up to eighteen Belizeans have been detained in Mexico on immigration offenses since the start of 2023. Four of them are minors. Most of these individuals were caught in communities situated along the U.S border.  Ambassador Arnold gave us further details.

Oscar Arnold, Belizean Ambassador to Mexico

“What we have seen since the year began, is that we have had eighteen instances that Belizeans have been detained and held at immigration, different immigration checkpoints throughout Mexico City. Of those eighteen, four were minors. Illegal entry, they didn’t stamp through, they didn’t have any travel documents, overstayed the amount of time that was allotted to them, that sort of thing. So we have been working with the authorities. We have had a few people who have been repatriated back already, but we are seeing eighteen since the year start, is on average two or three a week. That is a high number that we have been seeing. So, we want to encourage Belizeans if you are going to come across then please use the formal borders and get stamped and that sort of thing. We have individuals all the way up in Baha California, Tijuana who are saying that they are just there for vacation purposes, but they either don’t have the requisite stamps in their travel documents. For the few that does have the stamps. Many times the individuals are caught and don’t have any form of ID, no passports, drivers license, social security on them. So, they would be held and what would be done, as soon as the authority can get an interview with them and they say I am a Belizean National. They would contact the embassy. We would do an interview over the phone. There is a form we fill out. We get information as to the date of birth, place of birth, mother, father, that sort of thing. We would then have to liaise with the Vital Stats of the Passport and immigration Department to verify and confirm the nationality of the individual.”

Ambassador Arnold also noted that it is a federal offense in Mexico to have a firearm that is not permitted in the country and that persons traveling across the border in their vehicles must obtain the requisite insurance.