Kidnapped migrants and their families in US paying $15,000 ransom fees, advocates say
SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — The head of Tijuana’s largest migrant shelters says the families of kidnapped migrants are paying $15,000 to secure their loved one’s freedom.
Patrick Murphy, director of Casa del Migrante, said two migrants arrived at his facility this week claiming they were kidnapped and had to pay $15,000 in ransom.
“Public authorities know more or less who is doing it and how things work,” said Murphy. “It’s sad because peoples’ dreams are dashed, and then they take their money or their families’ money who live in the United States.”
Murphy went on to say the migrants told him they were kept in stash houses with others who were also waiting for their families to secure the fee.
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“And they threaten them, telling them they will be killed if they don’t get their money,” said Murphy. “We don’t know when this will end, this is just one case that we know of but there’s likely other cases that we don’t know about, which is sad.”
Murphy has been very critical of all three levels of government for not doing enough to protect migrants.
“Why aren’t they looking for these people?” he asked. “Why don’t they follow up on these investigations? Migrants are afraid to file reports and claims with police because they fear something will happen to them, but government agencies have the responsibility to provide security for these migrants and all residents.”
Murphy told the El Sol Newspaper in Tijuana that he has not allowed investigators to enter his facility to follow up on the migrants’ kidnapping claims.
“The National Guard and the Institute of Migration won’t touch the subject much less do anything about it, they claim they lose a lot of time following up with migrants in shelters,” said Murphy. “President (Andres Manuel) López Obrador says he welcomes all migrants, but when they are abused and robbed by the people who are supposed to protect them and by organized crime, nothing is done.”
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