Mexico will formally request criminal charges against those responsible for the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or during enforcement operations.
Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco announced the move Thursday, escalating diplomatic tensions. The request will be submitted to U.S. state prosecutors and the Department of Justice, though it carries no direct legal weight. Mexico will also file civil lawsuits against private detention center operators.
The decision was prompted by the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston this week. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government could no longer remain silent.
The Department of Homeland Security said officers were surveilling a different suspect when they stopped Salgado Araujo's vehicle, believing he resembled their target. DHS initially stated Salgado Araujo was shot after ignoring commands and attempting to ram an officer, but later clarified the original target was another individual.
According to the Mexican government, 14 Mexicans have died in ICE custody and three during ICE operations. A CBS News analysis found 31 ICE detainee deaths in 2025, a two-decade high.
The move adds pressure to an already strained U.S.-Mexico relationship over trade and security issues.