Mexico Presses for Criminal Investigations in the United States After Deaths in ICE Custody

Mexico City – 11 July 2026: The Mexican government is calling on U.S. authorities to conduct criminal investigations into the deaths of at least 17 Mexican nationals in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or during operations involving its officers since January 2025. President Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Alvarez announced that the cases would no longer be pursued solely through diplomatic channels, but also through legal means, with corresponding action to be initiated before the relevant U.S. prosecutors’ offices. According to the government, Mexico will submit formal filings through its consulates and the embassy in Washington.
Particular attention is being paid to the death of 49-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, who was shot dead by ICE officers during an operation last week. While U.S. agencies cite self-defense, relatives, human rights lawyers and Mexican diplomats are demanding an independent investigation, including the preservation of video and radio records as well as a transparent autopsy. The case has sparked demonstrations in Mexico and increased political pressure to publicly address structural shortcomings in arrests and detention conditions.
According to consistent media reports, 14 of the recorded deaths involved people held in ICE facilities; three others died in the context of police or immigration enforcement measures. The Mexican government intends to present a systematic review of these incidents and is examining not only individual responsibility but also institutional standards for medical care, monitoring of at-risk detainees and the handling of mental health crises. Ongoing civil lawsuits and diplomatic protest notes are to be supported by consular assistance, evidence preservation and access to case files.
In Washington, attention is focused on the Department of Justice, which could potentially initiate investigations or issue recommendations to oversight bodies. Human rights organizations are demanding access to detention records, transfer lists and visitation logs in order to document possible failures in emergency procedures. ICE regularly points to its internal guidelines, health screenings upon intake and independent reviews following deaths. Whether this will lead to criminal proceedings remains open; in comparable cases in the United States, assessments of official misconduct often take months.
Mexico’s initiative reflects growing strain in bilateral relations over migration issues. Both governments cooperate closely in operational terms at the border, but face domestic political pressure: in Mexico, civil society groups and the families of those affected are demanding justice and transparency, while security narratives and procedural compliance shape the debate in the United States. Mexico makes clear that the requested investigations do not represent a departure from cooperation, but are intended to provide clarification under the rule of law. Whether the U.S. justice system brings charges or whether structural adjustments to detention facilities and operational rules follow remains the subject of further formal steps and diplomatic talks.