Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday that her government plans to file criminal complaints in the US regarding Mexican citizens who have died in immigration custody or while being targeted in anti-immigration operations.
Fourteen Mexican nationals have died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and three more died in arrest operations conducted by the agency, the Mexican government said.
On Tuesday, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, a Mexican national living in the US illegally for three decades.
His killing, which sparked protests in Houston, brought to at least six the number of people shot dead in immigration enforcement operations since January 2025, when President Donald Trump returned to office and launched a campaign of mass deportations.
"We cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died," Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference, adding that the criminal complaints will seek to hold accountable those considered to have committed homicides or human rights violations.
Sheinbaum said that her government provides assistance to all citizens who request it, but "especially to Mexicans whose only crime is working honestly in the United States."
Although the Mexican government has previously spoken out about the deaths of Mexican nationals in the US, Thursday's announcement represents significantly stronger criticism as relations between the two neighbors continue to worsen.
Also Read: Nirav Shah throws his hat in US Senate race from Maine
In a response to a Reuters request for comment, the US Department of Homeland Security said that there has been no increase in the rate of deaths of detainees under the Trump administration and that "all detainees receive full due process and are provided with proper meals, water, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers."
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Moving beyond diplomatic channels
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the move comes after repeated failed attempts to engage with the US through diplomatic channels.
"We are going to move beyond the diplomatic sphere and go directly to US prosecutors to file complaints regarding these incidents, requesting that they are investigated as criminal matters," Velasco said.
The Mexican government will also file civil lawsuits against the private companies that operate immigration detention centers in the US, Velasco added.
