Mexican government files criminal complaints over 17 migrant deaths in US ICE custody

Mexico's Foreign Ministry formally filed criminal complaints with U.S. state attorneys general on Tuesday, July 14, seeking investigation into the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals who died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or during ICE operations since the start of President Donald Trump's second term. Of the 17 deaths, 14 occurred while migrants were in ICE custody and three during enforcement operations.

The escalation follows the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, a Mexican national with no criminal record who had lived in the United States for 35 years. Salgado Araujo was shot by an ICE agent on July 9 in Houston while driving his construction crew to a job site. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Salgado Araujo rammed an ICE vehicle and that an agent fired in self-defense. However, three men traveling with Salgado Araujo disputed the government's account of events.

Mexico's Foreign Ministry also sent letters to U.S. detention centers, including Adelanto in California where four Mexican migrants died, demanding that facilities "immediately cease the actions or omissions that resulted in these deaths," citing denial of medical care and policies incompatible with medical and penitentiary standards. These letters constitute a first step toward potential civil lawsuits against detention center operators. Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco also wrote to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, requesting an analysis of whether these deaths comply with international human rights obligations.

Following Salgado Araujo's death, an FBI search warrant application filed July 14 stated that an agent observed four plastic bags of a white, crystal-like substance in the van. However, the family's attorney, Ruby L. Powers, stated that the substance was granulated salt mixed with lemon and water—a homemade electrolyte drink used by construction workers to combat extreme Texas heat. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told media outlets that "based on what we've learned about the passengers, it's inconsistent that drugs were in the van." Powers called for immediate testing of the substance to clear the names of Salgado Araujo and his brother, who was detained by ICE following the shooting.

U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz stated that all information was preliminary and not conclusive, emphasizing that the FBI and DHS would conduct thorough investigations. Salgado Araujo's family held a vigil on July 17, with his son expressing gratitude for public support. The case has drawn criticism from Democrats and advocacy groups who have called for an independent investigation into both Salgado Araujo's death and the broader pattern of migrant deaths in U.S. immigration enforcement.