On the morning of Friday, January 24, checkpoints were implemented in different locations on the roads in Pachuca, Hidalgo. The purpose of these operations was to detect and stop migrants traveling through the state intending to reach the United States or who had been expelled from that country.
The checkpoints were located on the Mexico-Pachuca, Pachuca-Sahagún, Pachuca-Actopan, and Pachuca-Tulancingo roads. According to reports, inspections were conducted on vehicles and the people traveling in them to ensure that there were no migrants. If any were detected, they were referred to the facilities of the National Immigration Institute (INM).
One of the key points of the operations focused on the Mexico-Pachuca road, where both private vehicles and public transport were checked. During the inspections, an electoral credential was requested. Personnel from the Public Security of Hidalgo, the National Guard, the INM, among other entities, participated in the checkpoints.
These actions have generated long lines of vehicles, causing inconveniences among motorists. So far, the authorities have not provided information regarding the detention of migrants as a result of these checkpoints.
During the year 2023, in 18 of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, 1,049 undocumented migrants attempting to reach the Mexico-U.S. border were detained. In 2024, before the inauguration of the new president of the United States, the INM in Hidalgo detained 2,473 undocumented migrants, more than double the previous year.
The countries of origin of the migrants detained mostly in the state include Venezuela, Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala, and Ecuador, who were seeking to reach the northern border of Mexico. According to the National Immigration Institute, the three municipalities with the highest number of detained individuals were Tizayuca with 328, Pachuca with 242, and Atitalaquia with 237. In contrast, in Atotonilco el Grande, Tlaxcoapan, and Huasca, only one person was detained in each locality.
