Mexico Hits U.S. with Legal Complaints Over 17 Migrant Deaths

During her morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Mexico is filing a legal complaint this Monday with the U.S. Department of Justice and state prosecutors regarding the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals. This includes the recent case of 55-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on July 7 in Houston, Texas.

The civil actions against ICE agents and the private companies operating these detention facilities will begin with cease-and-desist letters. These letters will demand action regarding the subpar conditions that violate human rights and have led to the deaths of 14 Mexicans at the hands of private operators.

Prior to the filing of the formal legal complaint, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Roberto Velasco contacted U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, to inform him about Mexico’s legal actions, stated President Sheinbaum.

According to President Sheinbaum, U.S. Ambassador Johnson was very receptive to Mexico’s concerns regarding alleged human rights violations against Mexican nationals in detention centers, as well as the deaths of three Mexicans during ICE operations.

President Sheinbaum highlighted that the Houston mayor’s office is conducting an investigation, adding that, to her understanding, the U.S. federal government is also conducting its own inquiry. 

The head of state called upon all political parties and the Mexican Congress—specifically the Permanent Committee—to submit a formal request for information and express their rejection of human rights violations against Mexican nationals in the U.S. She also called upon all of Mexican society to show solidarity with their fellow citizens in the United States.

“From my perspective, this is not solely a matter for the Mexican government, although we have a responsibility to demand the preservation of life and the protection of the human rights of Mexicans worldwide, and particularly in the United States; it is a matter for all Mexicans,” stated President Sheinbaum.

Other measures the Mexican government will take include partnering with civil society organizations to submit petitions to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) for the protection of Mexican citizens in detention centers, including requests for precautionary measures. Additionally, Mexico will demand protection for Mexicans under ICE custody from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.

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