Mexico formally requests criminal investigations into U.S.-linked citizen deaths under Trump policies.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has declared that Mexico will no longer look away from the fatal deaths of its citizens while under U.S. immigration enforcement, announcing a formal request for criminal investigations into these incidents. During a press conference on Thursday morning, she stated explicitly that the nation "cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died." This directive marks a shift toward Mexico's most robust response yet regarding fatalities linked to President Donald Trump's deportation policies.

The announcement comes just two days after an incident in Houston where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during an immigration operation. The government of Mexico reports that 14 Mexican nationals have died while held in ICE custody, with three additional deaths occurring during active enforcement operations abroad. Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco explained to reporters that previous diplomatic protests had failed to prompt action from U.S. authorities. Consequently, Mexico intends to bypass standard diplomatic channels and file formal complaints directly with both state and federal prosecutors in the United States, seeking investigations into homicides or human rights violations.

Velazco further revealed plans to initiate civil lawsuits against private companies operating U.S. immigration detention centers. The killing of Salgado Araujo has reignited intense scrutiny over ICE tactics along the border. On Wednesday night, hundreds of demonstrators marched through Houston's Magnolia Park neighborhood chanting "ICE out of Houston." Salgado Araujo's family stated that he had resided in the United States for 35 years without any criminal convictions and was driving a work crew to a construction site when the fatal shooting occurred; they noted he was actively working toward obtaining legal status.

Supporters, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Representative Sylvia Garcia, have called for a complete investigation into his death. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that Salgado Araujo ignored officers' commands during the stop and attempted to ram an agent with his vehicle, which led the officer to open fire. However, the family and civil rights groups dispute this account and are demanding the release of video footage from the encounter. According to Reuters, Salgado Araujo's death raises the total number of people fatally shot during U.S. immigration enforcement operations to at least six since President Trump returned to office for his second term in January 2025. As these events unfold, Mexico continues to voice deep concern over how its citizens are treated within the U.S. detention system.

Following the April death of another Mexican national while in custody, Mexico's Foreign Ministry directed its consular staff to escalate visits from weekly to daily intervals at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. The ministry pledged to exhaust every legal and diplomatic channel to demand accountability for these deaths. In an official statement, it declared that recurring fatalities in detention are unacceptable and expose critical flaws within ICE centers that violate human rights standards and fail to protect human life.

The death toll in ICE custody has surged dramatically. Agency data indicates 32 detainees died in 2025, a stark increase from the 11 deaths recorded in 2024. Current figures suggest approximately 19 in-custody fatalities occurred between January and early June of this year alone.

Conversely, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security dismissed claims of a mortality spike. Speaking to Al Jazeera in June, officials insisted there was "NO spike in deaths." They further argued that ICE detention centers uphold a "higher standard of care than most prisons that hold US citizens," despite the rising fatality numbers and international outcry.