Mexico Takes the US to Court Over 17 Mexicans Dead in ICE Custody

Mexico is taking the U.S. to court over 17 of its citizens who died in ICE custody or operations, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs filing formal complaints with American prosecutors and the Department of Justice.

The tally breaks down to 14 deaths inside ICE detention centers and three more killed during ICE field operations, including Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 35-year-old Mexican immigrant shot by agents in Houston on July 7.

"We will do everything in our hands," President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her morning press conference. "What we cannot do is be omissive toward Mexicans who have died in ICE operations or who were detained in these centers operated by private companies contracted by ICE."

Foreign Secretary Roberto Velasco Alvarez is leading the legal push. His office has documented all 17 cases and is coordinating with Mexico's Attorney General's Office to present criminal complaints before U.S. state prosecutors and the Department of Justice. Each case file includes the victim's name, the circumstances of death, and the facility or operation involved.

The cases include two victims from the state of Veracruz, whose names and circumstances have not been publicly released. Consular officials have been in direct contact with the families of all 17.

Beyond criminal complaints, Mexico is also going after the private companies that run ICE detention centers. The government is sending cease and desist letters demanding these operators change the conditions that led to Mexican nationals dying on their watch.

"Formally, we are asking these companies to stop these actions," Velasco said. "They must change these conditions that have led to the death of Mexican people. These are letters that in the United States are called cease and desist."

The diplomatic front is equally active. Mexico has already sent 11 formal diplomatic protest notes to the U.S. government demanding clarification of the deaths. The responses have indicated that investigations are underway. Mexico has also requested intervention from U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

For Sheinbaum, this is personal and political. Her administration has made consular protection a central pillar of its foreign policy. Every morning at Las Mananeras del Pueblo, she takes questions on the latest from the diaspora. The ICE deaths have become a recurring topic.

"We must provide all the support and solidarity that families need when they have lost a family member or have a detained family member," Sheinbaum said. "The Government of Mexico is obligated to provide consular attention to all Mexicans who request it. But particularly to Mexican men and women whose only crime is working honestly in the United States."

The 14 deaths in detention centers point to a grim reality that immigrant advocates have long flagged. Some died after being denied medical care for chronic conditions. Others succumbed to neglect in facilities where oversight is minimal. Private contractors running ICE facilities face accusations of inadequate medical care, poor conditions, and neglect. Mexico is now arguing in legal terms that these conditions amount to human rights violations.

The three operational deaths, including Salgado, raise different questions. They involve the use of lethal force by federal agents. In Salgado's case, ICE was looking for two Guatemalan men when they shot and killed a Mexican national driving to work. No body cameras were worn. No video evidence has been released.

For Mexican readers, the government's legal push matters because it signals a more aggressive posture. Mexico has historically filed diplomatic protests. Filing criminal complaints with U.S. prosecutors and cease and desist letters against private companies is a step up.

For U.S. readers, these actions could create real legal pressure. If state prosecutors open cases, or if cease and desist letters lead to court orders, ICE contractors may face consequences they have so far avoided. The Department of Justice will have to decide whether to cooperate or push back.

For now, Mexico says it will not stop. The 17 names are on file. The legal machinery is in motion. And the message from Mexico City to Washington is simple: these deaths are not being forgotten.

Velasco confirmed that more legal actions may follow as investigations into additional cases continue. The government is also reviewing whether any of the victims' families are eligible for compensation under U.S. or international law.