Baja California’s top prosecutor said this week that members of a vigilante group calling itself Patrulla Espiritual could face criminal charges for forcibly removing people from the streets and placing them in unlicensed rehabilitation centers. The warning from FGE (the state attorney general’s office) head Ma. Elena Andrade Ramírez comes after viral videos showed group members detaining vulnerable people in Mexicali, including an LGBTQ+ youth who was reportedly filmed, had her hair cut against her will, and subjected to what activists are calling conversion therapy.
No formal criminal complaint has been filed yet. But Andrade Ramírez said each case will be evaluated individually and that taking a person somewhere against their will could constitute privación ilegal de la libertad, or unlawful deprivation of liberty, a serious charge under Baja California’s penal code that carries prison sentences of up to 40 years in aggravated cases.
Baja California’s Long History of Unlicensed Rehab Abuse
The Patrulla Espiritual controversy fits a pattern that stretches back decades in Baja California. The state has long struggled with unlicensed drug rehabilitation centers, known locally as anexos, that operate outside government oversight. These facilities range from faith-based operations to improvised houses where people with addiction are confined, sometimes by force, by relatives or self-appointed rescue groups.
The consequences have at times been fatal. In 2009, gunmen killed 17 people at an anexo in Tijuana. In 2010, another 13 people were killed at a rehab center in the same city. Between 2020 and 2024, COEPRIS (the state commission for protection against sanitary risks) shut down dozens of facilities across Baja California for operating without licenses, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions. Many reopened under different names within months.
The Patrulla Espiritual operates in Mexicali and appears linked to at least one rehabilitation center in the city. Mexicali Mayor Norma Bustamante said publicly that this center lacks the permits required to operate. COEPRIS and the FGE are expected to conduct joint inspections in coming days to verify whether the facilities comply with health and safety regulations.
The group’s method involves approaching people living on the streets, often filming the encounters for social media, and transporting them to their affiliated center. Supporters frame the work as charitable. But the FGE’s statement made clear that good intentions do not shield anyone from criminal liability when a person is moved against their will.
LGBTQ+ Case Draws Condemnation From Advocacy Groups
The case that drew the most public outrage involved a young LGBTQ+ woman. Videos shared on social media showed members of the group exhibiting her online, cutting her hair, and reportedly subjecting her to practices described as conversion therapy. Conversion therapy, the discredited practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, is banned in several Mexican states. Baja California passed legislation in 2022 prohibiting such practices, making them punishable by fines and, in some cases, imprisonment.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups across the state responded with public statements demanding that authorities investigate and shut down the group’s operations. The organizations argued that the Patrulla Espiritual’s actions violate not only criminal law but also state anti-discrimination protections enacted in recent years.
The broader concern is enforcement. Baja California’s 2022 ban on conversion therapy has been difficult to apply in practice. Many cases go unreported because victims are in vulnerable situations, living on the street, struggling with addiction, or estranged from family. When groups like the Patrulla Espiritual operate openly on social media and face no immediate legal consequences, the gap between the law on paper and its enforcement becomes visible.
Joint Inspections Planned Between COEPRIS and the FGE
The state’s next steps depend on whether formal complaints are filed and what the planned inspections reveal. Andrade Ramírez noted that the legal analysis differs depending on circumstances. If a person is ill and taken to treatment to protect their life, authorities might view the situation differently. But the prosecutor emphasized that each case requires careful examination.
COEPRIS holds the authority to shut down health facilities that lack proper licensing. The FGE can pursue criminal charges if evidence supports unlawful detention. Both agencies are expected to meet in the coming days to coordinate inspections of the rehabilitation center linked to the group in Mexicali.
If you live in Mexicali or other Baja California cities, be aware that unlicensed rehab operations remain common and that individuals detained by such groups have legal recourse through the FGE. Formal complaints can be filed at any FGE office or through the state’s online reporting portal.
The joint inspections between COEPRIS and the FGE are expected to begin this week. Whether they result in closures or criminal charges will depend on what investigators find inside the facilities. The story was first reported by The Baja Post.