Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Thursday that her government plans to file criminal complaints in the US concerning the deaths of Mexican citizens while in the custody of immigration services or during anti-immigration operations. According to the Mexican government, 14 Mexicans have died in the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE), and another three died during detention operations conducted by the agency.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the deaths of Mexicans,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference, emphasizing that the criminal complaints aim to hold accountable those responsible for the killings or human rights violations. Sheinbaum noted that her government provides assistance to all citizens who request it, but “especially to Mexicans, whose only crime is honest work in the United States.” While the Mexican government has previously condemned the deaths of its citizens in the US, Thursday’s statement represents a significantly stronger criticism as relations between the two neighbors continue to deteriorate.
Increased criticism and legal action
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco stated that this action was taken after repeated unsuccessful attempts to engage with the US through diplomatic channels. “We will go beyond the diplomatic sphere and directly approach US prosecutors to file complaints about these incidents, demanding that they be investigated as criminal cases,” Velasco said. He added that the Mexican government will also file civil lawsuits against private companies that operate immigrant detention centers in the US.
On Tuesday, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican citizen who had lived illegally in the US for three decades. His killing sparked protests in Houston and raised the number of people killed during immigration operations to at least six since January 2025, when President Donald Trump returned to office and initiated a mass deportation campaign. The US Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment.
Source: Reuters
