Three suspects were arrested on Monday in connection with the death of a Mexican migration agent found earlier in the day with no vital signs, state security and migration officials confirmed.
The incident, which marks a rare case of deadly violence against migration agents, occurred weeks before an anticipated crackdown on immigration following the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
State investigators confirmed the agent suffered a head injury and showed signs of violence, according to a statement from public security officials in northern Chihuahua state. The agent’s body was discovered with no vital signs.
The statement identified two Venezuelan nationals as suspects taken into custody. The Mexican National Migration Institute (INM) later reported that a third suspect, a Colombian national, had also been detained.
The fatal attack occurred at a checkpoint just south of Ciudad Juarez, which borders El Paso, Texas. The agent had been checking the identification documents of foreign nationals when the assault took place, INM said.
The agent’s death comes as migrants in Mexico are bracing for stricter U.S. immigration policies expected to be implemented under the Trump administration. On Monday, hundreds of migrants gathered outside an immigration office in southern Mexico, hoping to secure safe passage to the U.S. before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
