Mexico Urges U.S. States to Probe Migrant Deaths in ICE Custody Amid Escalation of Diplomatic Tensions

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has formally requested that U.S. state attorneys general pursue criminal investigations into the deaths of migrants held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody or during immigration enforcement operations, according to a statement released Tuesday. The move follows the fatal shooting of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an ICE agent in Houston.

Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, 17 Mexican nationals have died during immigration-related enforcement actions, including 14 in ICE custody and three during agency operations. Mexico’s Foreign Ministry announced plans to submit a similar request to the U.S. Department of Justice as part of its ongoing diplomatic push for accountability.

The U.S. is not legally bound to comply with these requests. However, Mexico has begun sending formal letters to detention facilities where Mexican migrants have died, demanding immediate action to address alleged failures in medical care and adherence to penitentiary standards. The Adelanto Detention Facility in California, where four Mexican migrants have died, was the first to receive such a letter.

These letters mark a preliminary step toward potential civil litigation targeting private companies managing the facilities, according to the ministry. Last week, Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco stated Mexico would directly engage U.S. authorities to pursue criminal inquiries into migrant fatalities tied to ICE custody or operations.

Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old undocumented immigrant with no criminal record who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years, was killed on Tuesday morning while transporting his construction crew to a job site in Houston. His death has sparked protests and calls for an independent investigation from Democratic leaders and his family. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, claimed Salgado rammed an ICE vehicle and that the agent fired in self-defense.

Foreign Minister Velasco also wrote to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, urging the U.S. to assess whether migrant deaths in ICE custody align with international human rights obligations. He requested the Human Rights Council provide recommendations on the cases. The actions reflect a broader escalation in President Claudia Sheinbaum’s strategy to challenge Trump’s immigration policies, including recent orders for Mexican diplomats to monitor ICE detainees and prior complaints to U.N. officials.

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