A desert city in San Bernardino County, California
Mexico has escalated its response to the killings of Mexican nationals in U.S. ICE custody. Foreign Minister Velasco Álvarez has announced plans to file criminal complaints with U.S. prosecutors and pursue civil lawsuits against detention-center operators, arguing for accountability and criminal investigations into the deaths. The move follows the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and a rising death toll in ICE custody in 2026. President Sheinbaum has said Mexico will move beyond diplomatic notes to seek accountability.
Mexico has formalized requests with U.S. prosecutors after the death of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, and plans similar actions to probe deaths in ICE custody and operations. The foreign ministry is also seeking investigations and urging U.N. human rights scrutiny, as tensions with the Trump administration rise. The move follows multiple deaths of Mexican migrants since Trump returned to office and signals a hardening stance while preserving sovereignty.