Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said July 9 that her government plans to seek criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of Mexican citizens while in immigration custody or during anti-immigration operations.

Since US President Donald Trump launched the current immigration crackdown, at least 14 Mexican nationals have died while in the custody of US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and three more have reportedly died in arrest operations conducted by the agency. Most recently, on July 7, an ICE agent shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national living in the US without legal documentation for three decades.

His killing—which sparked protests in Houston, where Araujo had lived for nearly 35 years, and throughout Mexico—marked at least six people shot dead in ICE operations since early 2025, when US President Donald Trump returned to office and launched a campaign of mass deportations. In addition to several formal diplomatic protest letters to the US government, demanding a "prompt and thorough investigation," Sheinbaum's government has also filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). However, in light of the new deaths and the apparent lack of tangible progress in the United States, the Mexican government has decided to escalate the matter to the criminal justice system.

"We cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died," Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference. "We cannot allow the mistreatment of our brothers and sisters who are in the United States—our fellow citizens. Therefore, we will propose other measures."

She added that the criminal complaints will seek to hold accountable those considered to have committed homicides or human rights violations, and that her government is prepared to assist all citizens who request it, but especially to "Mexicans whose only crime is working honestly in the United States."

In addition to formally requesting that the US Department of Justice open criminal investigations into the killings, Sheinbaum said her government will bring civil lawsuits in the US courts against the companies that operate the detention centers for ICE.

The announcement represents a significant escalation in criticism as relations between the two neighbors continue to worsen. Addressing the press during that day’s conference, Mexico's Foreign Secretary Robert Velasco stated that a request will also be made to the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, to demand protection for Mexican nationals in ICE custody.

The move underscores Mexico's growing willingness to challenge US immigration enforcement through international and legal channels, as pressure mounts for accountability over deaths tied to detention and arrest operations. With tensions already strained, the complaints could further deepen the diplomatic rift between Washington and Mexico.

From JURIST, July 10. Used with permission.