Migrants were forced to pay a bribe to a local official to set up tents in the square.

Mexican federal immigration authorities announced on Thursday that they had cleared out one of the largest tent camps occupied by migrants in the centre of Mexico City.

According to the National Immigration Institute, migrants had to pay an unnamed official bribes of between $12 and $35 to set up tents in the crowded area

– the AP news agency reported.

El @INAMI_mx con apoyo de @GN_MEXICO_, @GobCDMX, @SSC_CDMX @SGIRPC_CDMX, @SOBSECDMX y la @CDHCMX atendió a las personas #migrantes que permanecían en la plaza “Giordano Bruno” y llevó a cabo su traslado a las Oficinas de Representación del #INM en #Morelos, #Edomex y de la #CDMX pic.twitter.com/LMEgWV0G5b

— Francisco Garduño Yañez (@fgymexico) June 8, 2024

The majority of the 432 migrants in the camp had some form of visa that allowed them to remain in Mexico and voluntarily agreed to leave the square. In addition, There were also some Mexican people at the camp, presumably homeless persons.

Agentes de migración llegaron a la plaza Giordano Bruno, en la alcaldía Cuauhtémoc, quienes desalojaron a los migrantes, durante la noche de este miércoles#VIDEO: Yalina Ruiz de EL UNIVERSAL pic.twitter.com/U7lGU4OA7C

— El Universal (@El_Universal_Mx) June 6, 2024

About 99 migrants were taken either to immigration offices or shelters. More than half of them were from Haiti, with most of the remainder either from Venezuela or Central America.

There used to be an office of the Mexican Commission on Refugee Aid, COMAR, nearby, but that office was closed on May 29. Residents of the upscale, bohemian Juarez neighbourhood near the city centre have long complained that the predominantly asphalt pedestrian zone has been overrun by tents camps over the years. They argued that this increased the risk of crime, posed a health hazard and deprived them of one of their few public recreational areas.