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The Mexican government is reportedly preparing to file criminal complaints in the United States following the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals while in U.S. custody.
According to Mexican Foreign Minister Robert Velasco, 14 Mexican citizens died while detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with an additional three deaths occurring during ICE arrest operations. Speaking to reporters on July 9, Velasco emphasized that Mexico intends to take “forceful legal action” to safeguard the rights of its nationals in the U.S.
One notable case involved 19-year-old Royer Perez-Jimenez, who died in March at the Glades County Detention Center in Florida. Perez-Jimenez was found unconscious and unresponsive, marking the youngest death in ICE custody since President Donald Trump’s second term began.
Shortly thereafter, Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano passed away at a detention center in Adelanto, California. These incidents come just days after a Mexican man, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was fatally shot by ICE agents on July 7 in Houston.
Araujo, 52, had lived in Houston for over 30 years and worked as a builder. Reports indicate he was driving to work early that morning when he was shot during a traffic stop by immigration officers.
According to ICE, the shooting occurred during a “targeted enforcement operation” on Canal Street. The agency claims Araujo rammed an ICE vehicle, ignored multiple commands, and used his vehicle in a threatening manner, prompting an officer to fire in self-defense.
Araujo was struck on the right side of his body. Video footage obtained by local news showed emergency medical personnel arriving approximately 10 minutes after the shooting.
However, officers involved were not equipped with body cameras, and neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security have released any visual evidence from the incident. Passengers in Araujo’s vehicle and his family have challenged the official account.
His relatives maintain that Araujo had no criminal record and was close to receiving a work permit. At the time, he was driving himself and three co-workers to a job site.
In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned Araujo’s death and called for legal measures beyond diplomatic protests. She described the incident as part of a larger pattern of mistreatment against Mexican nationals in the U.S.
“Our aim is to go beyond diplomatic notes and appeals to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights,” Sheinbaum stated. “We cannot tolerate the mistreatment of our fellow citizens in the United States.
Therefore, we are preparing more significant legal actions.”
Sheinbaum stressed that many detained individuals’ only “offense” is lacking proper documentation, despite being employed by U.S. companies. “There is no justification for their detention or the use of violence,” she said. “We are committed to pursuing stronger legal remedies to address these injustices.”