Mexico vows to improve migrant's treatment By LISA J. ADAMS,
Associated Press Writer
Wed Feb 28, 12:36 AM ET



MEXICO CITY - Mexico's head of migration on Tuesday pledged to improve
the agency's detention centers in response to criticism that Mexico
fails to give Central American immigrants the same respect it demands
for its own citizens in the United States.

Cecilia Romero Castillo, who said many of Mexico's 48 detention
centers lack adequate personnel, supplies, medical care and social
services, announced a plan to install doctor's offices in 16 centers,
upgrade facilities and improve staff training.

Romero also said the agency will no longer use jails as detention
centers and will fire any supervisor found violating the rules.

The Mexican government has acknowledged that many officials are bribed
by human smugglers. Migrants face abuse from corrupt police as well as
violent gangs who wait on the southern border to rob and assault them.

The government-funded National Human Rights Commission, U.N. human
rights officials and other non-governmental organizations say they
have documented abuses.

The migration department's plan aims "to entirely eliminate this
terrible situation," Romero told a news conference.

Answering U.S. concerns, President Felipe Calderon also has promised
to strengthen security on Mexico's southern border to stop the tide of
illegal migrants — the majority of whom use Mexico as a way station to
the United States — and crack down on criminals, especially drug
traffickers.

In January, Mexico detained more than 10,000 illegal migrants, and
expects that number to increase to 205,000 by the end of the year,
according to a report by the migration department.

In 2006, Mexico detained 182,705 illegal migrants, the majority of
them Central Americans, the report said.