MEXICAN federal immigration authorities cleared one of Mexico City’s largest city centre tent encampments of migrants on Thursday.

The National Immigration Institute says the people had been forced to pay bribes of between $12 (£9.42) and $35 (£27.50) to an official, who they didn’t identify, for the right to pitch a tent in the tightly packed space.

Most of the 432 people at the camp had some sort of visa allowing them to remain in Mexico, and simply agreed to leave. There were also some Mexican people at the camp, presumably homeless persons.