Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Mexico will take legal action against the United States over the deaths of 17 Mexican citizens in immigration custody and enforcement operations, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday.
Speaking at the National Palace in Mexico City, Sheinbaum announced the move after officials presented a report on the deaths involving US immigration authorities.
Mexican officials said 14 deaths had been documented inside Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers, while three others occurred during anti-immigration operations.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Velazquez Alvarez said Mexico would go beyond diplomatic channels and seek legal proceedings to clarify the circumstances of the deaths.
He said the Foreign Affairs Ministry would ask the Attorney General’s Office to help file criminal complaints before state prosecutors and the US Department of Justice against those found responsible.
The Mexican government had earlier provided legal and financial assistance to the victims’ families and sent 11 diplomatic protest notes to Washington demanding full investigations into the cases.
Alvarez said Mexico would also pursue civil action against private companies operating ICE detention facilities over alleged rights violations and detention conditions linked to the deaths of 14 Mexican citizens.
The announcement came amid President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement campaign, which has drawn criticism from governments and international organizations. The latest case cited by Mexico involved Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, who was fatally shot by ICE agents in Houston after living in the United States for 30 years.