OHCHR / USA MIGRANT CRACKDOWN ENGLISH – SPANISH

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) called on the United States to ensure that its migration policies and enforcement practices respect human dignity and due process rights, decrying the dehumanizing portrayal and harmful treatment of migrants and refugees. OHCHR

• Video Length: 00:05:15
• Production Date: 23 January 2026
• Asset Language: English; Spanish
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: UNITED STATES
• MAMS Id: 3527416
• Parent Id: 3527416
• Alternate Title: unifeed260123b

Description

STORY: OHCHR / USA MIGRANT CRACKDOWN ENGLISH – SPANISH
TRT: 5:15
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRCITIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 23 JANUARY 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Various shots, exterior, Palais Willson

23 JANUARY 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls on the United States to ensure that its migration policies and enforcement practices respect human dignity and due process rights, decrying the dehumanizing portrayal and harmful treatment of migrants and refugees. Individuals are being watched and detained, sometimes violently, including at hospitals, churches, mosques, courthouses, markets, and schools – even within their own homes – often solely on mere suspicion of being undocumented migrants. Children are missing school and paediatric appointments for fear of never seeing their parents again. We are astounded by the now-routine abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees. We are astounded by the now-routine abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees. Where is the concern for their dignity, and our common humanity? The UN Human Rights Chief stated that numerous migration policies now being implemented by the U.S. authorities are resulting in arbitrary and unlawful arrests and detentions, as well as flawed removal decisions. He raised concerns that the enforcement of these policies often lacked sufficient individualized assessments. We call on leaders at all levels in the U.S. to halt the use of scapegoating tactics that seek to distract and divide, and which increase the exposure of migrants and refugees to xenophobic hostility and abuse. Türk deplored the use of large-scale enforcement operations by US immigration and other agents who have recurrently used force that appears to be unnecessary or disproportionate. People arrested and detained often lack timely access to legal counsel and effective means to contest their detention, as well as decisions on removal. The High Commissioner calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the concerning rise in the number of deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. At least 30 such deaths were reported last year, and a further six have been reported so far this year. We call on the Administration to end practices that tear families apart.”

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

3. Various shots, exterior, Palais Willson

23 JANUARY 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): portavoz del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos:
“El Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos, Volker Türk, insta a los Estados Unidos a asegurar que sus políticas migratorias y prácticas de control respeten la dignidad humana y los derechos al debido proceso, y condenó la deshumanización y el trato dañino hacia los migrantes y refugiados. Las personas están siendo vigiladas y detenidas, en ocasiones de forma violenta, incluso en hospitales, iglesias, mezquitas, tribunales, mercados y escuelas —e incluso dentro de sus propios hogares—, a menudo únicamente sobre la base de la mera sospecha de encontrarse en situación migratoria irregular. Niños están dejando de asistir a la escuela y a citas pediátricas por temor a no volver a ver a sus padres. Estamos estupefactos por el ahora habitual abuso y denigración de los migrantes y refugiados. ¿Dónde está la preocupación por su dignidad, y nuestra humanidad? El Alto Comisionado señaló que numerosas políticas migratorias que actualmente aplican las autoridades estadounidenses están dando lugar a arrestos y detenciones arbitrarios e ilegales, así como a decisiones infundadas de deportación. El Alto Comisionado expresó su preocupación por la aplicación de estas políticas, que a menudo carecen de evaluaciones individualizadas suficientes. Instamos a los dirigentes en Estados Unidos, de todos los estamentos, a acabar con las tácticas que usan a los migrantes y refugiados como chivo expiatorio y que buscan distraer y dividir, y que les exponen a actos hostiles y abusos xenófobos. Türk deploró que agentes migratorios estadounidenses hayan recurrido con frecuencia a la fuerza, aparentemente de manera innecesaria o desproporcionada, en operaciones a gran escala. Las personas arrestadas y detenidas a menudo carecen de acceso inmediato a asistencia jurídica y a recursos efectivos para impugnar su detención, así como las decisiones de deportación. El Alto Comisionado pidió una investigación independiente y transparente sobre el preocupante aumento del número de muertes bajo custodia del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de los Estados Unidos. El año pasado se tuvo conocimiento de al menos 30 muertes, y en lo que va del presente año se han notificado otras seis. Instamos al Gobierno a poner fin a las prácticas que están desgarrando a las familias.”

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

5. Various shots, exterior, Palais Willson

Storyline

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday (23 Jan) called on the United States to ensure that its migration policies and enforcement practices respect human dignity and due process rights, decrying the dehumanizing portrayal and harmful treatment of migrants and refugees.

Marta Hurtado, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson said, “Individuals are being watched and detained, sometimes violently, including at hospitals, churches, mosques, courthouses, markets, and schools – even within their own homes – often solely on mere suspicion of being undocumented migrants.”

“Children are missing school and paediatric appointments for fear of never seeing their parents again,” she added.”

The human rights Spokesperson said, “We are astounded by the now-routine abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees. Where is the concern for their dignity, and our common humanity?”

The UN Human Rights Chief stated that “numerous migration policies now being implemented by the U.S. authorities are resulting in arbitrary and unlawful arrests and detentions, as well as flawed removal decisions,” Hurtado said.

She continued, “He raised concerns that the enforcement of these policies often lacked sufficient individualized assessments.”

The UN human rights office called on “leaders at all levels in the U.S. to halt the use of scapegoating tactics that seek to distract and divide, and which increase the exposure of migrants and refugees to xenophobic hostility and abuse.”

Hurtado also said, “Türk deplored the use of large-scale enforcement operations by U.S. immigration and other agents who have recurrently used force that appears to be unnecessary or disproportionate.”

She added, “People arrested and detained often lack timely access to legal counsel and effective means to contest their detention, as well as decisions on removal.”

“The High Commissioner calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the concerning rise in the number of deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. At least 30 such deaths were reported last year, and a further six have been reported so far this year,” the human rights Spokesperson said.

OHCHR called on the Administration to “end practices that tear families apart,” Hurtado said.