Mexico to File Criminal Complaints Over ICE Shooting of Mexican National

The Mexican government will file criminal complaints in the United States over the shooting of a Mexican national by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and the deaths of Mexican citizens in immigration custody. Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said at a Thursday press conference that 14 Mexican citizens have died in ICE custody and three more died during arrest operations.

Prosecutors to investigate the incidents as criminal matters. The announcement follows the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican man shot by ICE officers during a traffic stop in Houston. The Department of Homeland Security said the shooting occurred in self-defense after Salgado Araujo allegedly weaponized his vehicle and tried to run over officers.

Protests took place in Houston afterward, with demonstrators calling for an independent investigation. The DHS Office of Inspector General is examining the shooting. President Claudia Sheinbaum called for legal action on Wednesday.

She stated there has been another tragic death of one of our compatriots in the United States due to detention issues, even though their only offense is not yet having proper documentation. A DHS spokesman said there has been no spike in deaths. The spokesman stated that as of May 29, death rates in custody under the Trump administration are 0.008 percent of the detained population, consistent with data over the last decade.

The spokesman added that the agency has maintained a higher standard of care than most prisons holding U.S. citizens and provides access to proper medical care. According to DHS data, roughly 19 immigrants have died in ICE custody so far this year.