Mexico asks UN to review 17 deaths in immigration custody
Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Ambassador Lazzeri also met last week with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE 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.
The 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 cases span deaths recorded since May 2025 during ICE enforcement operations or while individuals were detained by the agency. Among them was 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, according to the ministry.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the legal strategy on July 9, saying Mexico would move beyond the 11 diplomatic notes it had already sent to pursue criminal complaints and civil actions in the United States.
The ministry said it will continue monitoring the legal proceedings and will provide updates as U.S. authorities respond to the complaints.