Pastor Albert Rivera, director of the Ágape migrant shelter in Tijuana, staged a public protest on Friday, March 27, demanding government action in the kidnapping and torture of a shelter resident identified only as Manuel.
Manuel, a migrant from the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, was reportedly abducted after leaving the Ágape shelter without notifying staff. According to Rivera, the man was kidnapped and subjected to torture, though specific details about the duration of his captivity and the extent of his injuries have not been disclosed.
Shelter Director Demands Investigation
Rivera organized the protest after what he described as a failure by authorities to adequately investigate or respond to the case. The shelter director said he felt compelled to go public because law enforcement had not taken sufficient steps to identify those responsible for the attack on Manuel.
The Ágape shelter is one of several facilities in Tijuana that house migrants waiting to cross into the United States or seeking refuge from conditions in other parts of Mexico. Guerrero, Manuel’s home state, has long been one of Mexico’s most dangerous regions, plagued by drug cartel violence and extreme poverty.
Migrant Safety Remains a Concern in Tijuana
The case is part of a broader pattern of violence targeting migrants in Tijuana. Human rights organizations have documented hundreds of kidnappings, assaults, and extortion cases involving migrants in Mexican border cities in recent years. Tijuana, with its large transient population and proximity to the San Ysidro port of entry, has been a frequent site of such crimes.
Migrants in the city face threats from organized criminal groups that prey on people with limited legal protections and few resources. Shelters like Ágape serve as critical safe havens, but residents who venture outside their walls become vulnerable to abduction and exploitation.
Rivera’s protest drew attention to what advocates say is a recurring problem: crimes against migrants that go uninvestigated. Without formal charges or arrests, shelter operators and human rights workers worry that attackers face no consequences, emboldening future violence.
Authorities in Tijuana have not publicly commented on the status of any investigation into Manuel’s case. The story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.