Bilateral Tensions Escalate: The Mexican Government Will File Criminal Charges in the U.S. Over the Deaths of Citizens in ICE Custody

The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced Thursday that her government will file criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of Mexican citizens who have died while in the custody of U.S. immigration authorities or during federal immigration enforcement operations. The announcement comes following the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed in Houston on Tuesday, after, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Salgado rammed an agency vehicle with his van, ignored repeated orders from agents, and used the vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE agent.

Sheinbaum argued that the case reflects what she described as a broader pattern of mistreatment of Mexican citizens living in the United States. Mexican authorities indicated that the planned criminal complaints will go beyond the diplomatic complaints the country has already filed with international human rights bodies. “We cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died,” Sheinbaum said during a press conference.

In a statement, Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco affirmed that Mexico will file complaints with prosecutors in the U.S. states where Mexican citizens have died in incidents related to ICE, as well as with the Department of Justice. He added that the Houston shooting must be investigated with “utmost seriousness.” Velasco also noted that 58 migrants of various nationalities have died in ICE detention centers during 2025 and 2026.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rejected claims that deaths related to immigration detention have increased. A department spokesperson told NewsNation that detainees receive due process, access to food, water, medical care, and opportunities to communicate with attorneys and family members. The spokesperson also defended ICE’s procedures, stating that agents are trained to use only the minimum force necessary to resolve dangerous situations and that they receive ongoing training in de-escalation techniques and use-of-force policies.