A protester wears the flag of Mexico while attending a rally in opposition to recent deportations and ICE raids on June 11, 2025, in New York City. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
July 22 (UPI) -- Mexico said Wednesday it filed criminal complaints with prosecutors in the United States and referred cases involving the deaths of Mexican nationals in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or operations to the U.S. Justice Department.
It also asked the United Nations human rights chief to review the cases, marking the next phase of legal action announced earlier this month.
Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry said the actions follow measures announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum on July 9 in response to the deaths of 17 Mexican citizens recorded since May 2025 during ICE operations or while detained by the agency.
According to the ministry, Mexican Ambassador to the United States Roberto Lazzeri filed 20 complaints July 13 -- eight with state prosecutors and 12 with county prosecutors -- in the jurisdictions where the deaths occurred --Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas.
A day later, Mexico's Embassy in Washington transmitted a complaint prepared by the Office of the Attorney General to the U.S. Justice Department through the State Department, requesting that investigations be opened into all 17 cases and that U.S. authorities provide updates on their progress.
The ministry also said Lazzeri met last week with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to express Mexico's concerns over conditions inside immigration detention centers, including those operated by private contractors, and to request that each death be fully investigated.
Separately, Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Alvarez wrote July 14 to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk through Mexico's permanent mission in Geneva.
The letter asked the U.N. human rights office to gather information on the cases through requests for clarification to the United States, assess whether the incidents are consistent with international human rights obligations and issue technical recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.
Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry said its consular network continues to provide legal assistance to the families of the deceased, including support with the repatriation of remains and other requests made by relatives.
The ministry said it will continue monitoring the legal proceedings and will provide updates as U.S. authorities respond to the complaints.
Sheinbaum announced the legal strategy earlier this month, saying Mexico would move beyond diplomatic protests by pursuing criminal complaints and civil actions in the United States over the deaths.
Among the cases she highlighted was that of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who was fatally shot by ICE agents in Houston after they allegedly mistook him for a Guatemalan citizen during an immigration operation.
JicamaAccomplished41 on July 27th, 2026 at 03:06 UTC »
I spent a few months at La Salle in gum springs Louisiana.
It was awful, 50 guys crammed into a long room, all the showers and sinks broken, the air conditioning ran so hard we often wore 2 pants and 4 shirts. They gave us one blanket but even with all those clothes it was freezing.
Everyone just huddled under the blankets talking day and night. Every 3-4 days we'd get 20 mins to an hour outside.
Every 20 mins day and night the metal gate would grind open and 2 guards would noisily walk through.
Don't get me started on the kitchen. There was no soap anywhere.
Then the US gov put me on a 747 all by myself and flew me home.
Zib559 on July 27th, 2026 at 02:14 UTC »
Serious question, what can the UN do about it?
Vulcant50 on July 27th, 2026 at 01:37 UTC »
Curious:What would be the US response, if 17 USA citizens died in custody in Mexico, or any other country?