Photo: ALFREDO ESTRELLA / AFP / Getty Images
Mexico's Foreign Ministry is calling on U.S. prosecutors to investigate the deaths of Mexican migrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. This request comes after the recent death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national shot by an ICE agent during a raid on Monday (July 7) in Houston. Since President Donald Trump's second term began, at least 17 Mexican nationals have died during immigration enforcement operations, with 14 deaths occurring in ICE custody and three during other agency operations.
The Mexican government has formally requested that U.S. state attorneys general and the Department of Justice investigate these deaths. According to the Associated Press, Mexico has also begun sending letters to U.S. detention centers, demanding they cease actions that have led to these deaths, such as denying prompt medical care.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized the need for solidarity and expressed disapproval of the situation. Sheinbaum stated, "We cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died." The Department of Homeland Security claims Salgado Araujo was shot in self-defense after allegedly ramming an ICE vehicle. However, his family, who says he had no criminal record, is demanding a transparent investigation.
The Mexican government plans to file civil lawsuits against private companies operating detention centers and has reached out to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights for further investigation. NewsNation reports that these actions mark an escalation in Mexico's response to President Trump's immigration policies.