Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Thursday the filing of criminal complaints in the United States for the deaths of Mexican migrants detained or during operations carried out by immigration police (ICE).
• Also read: Mexican killed in Texas by ICE: an “independent” investigation called for
• Also read: Mexican man killed by immigration officer in Texas
In total, 17 Mexicans have died in these centers or during police operations since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025.
The latest, Lorenzo Salgado, 52, was shot and killed Tuesday while driving his pickup truck by an ICE agent in Houston, Texas, while on his way to work.
This father, who had lived in the United States for nearly 35 years, is the first person killed by federal immigration agents since American citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in January.
The US Department of Homeland Security, to which ICE depends, argued that the federal agent had used his weapon “in self-defense”.
For each of these 17 Mexicans who died, diplomatic notes of protest were sent.
But now, “a complaint will be filed with state and federal prosecutors in the United States” against “those found responsible for what we consider to be homicides and, in other cases, human rights violations,” said Claudia Sheinbaum.
“We are going to do everything in our power, what we cannot do is remain passive,” added the head of state.
Mexico also intends to take “civil actions” against the companies that manage ICE detention centers and will ask the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for “protection” of its nationals in these facilities.
Sylvia Garcia, an elected representative of the American House of Representatives, demanded the opening of an investigation into the actions of the federal agency. She told Houston’s FOX 26 that Lorenzo Salgado and his brother were not the people immigration officials targeted.
Ms. Garcia noted that ICE informed her that a person in Mr. Salgado’s vehicle was the subject of an administrative warrant and that the officers involved in the incident were not wearing body cameras.
“This man had no criminal record. Are we really any safer because he is dead? » said Ms. Garcia. “We cannot accept ICE’s version of events. »
