Mexico threatens legal action over citizens' deaths in ICE custody

Mexico plans to file criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of Mexican nationals in ICE custody, Mexico's Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Álvarez said Thursday.

Why it matters: Mexico had already made diplomatic complaints about the deaths, but taking the United States to court would raise the stakes for the Trump administration as foreign governments and rights advocates continue to scrutinize ICE deaths.

What they're saying: "We're going to do everything we can in our power," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters at a Thursday morning press conference.

• "What we can't do is neglect the Mexicans who have died in ICE operations or who were detained in detention centers…that's why we're pressing for more action."
• Velasco Álvarez said Mexico will move beyond previously used diplomatic channels and file complaints directly with U.S. prosecutors, asking them to investigate the incidents as criminal matters.

The State Department and Mexico's Embassy didn't immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Driving the news: Longtime Houston resident Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot by ICE agents early Tuesday morning after officials attempted to arrest him as part of a "targeted enforcement operation," per the federal agency.

• DHS said in a statement that Araujo "weaponized his vehicle" in an attempt to "run over" an ICE officer. He later died at a local hospital.
• DHS and the FBI are investigating the incident. Community leaders are calling for an independent, transparent investigation.

Zoom in: Mexico has sent the U.S. 11 formal diplomatic protest notes demanding an explanation of what happened in the cases where Mexican nationals were killed, according to a presentation Velasco Álvarez shared with reporters.

• The presentation also highlighted a recent statement from United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urging "prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into all deaths in ICE custody," adding that the number of deaths is "alarming."

By the numbers: Fourteen Mexican nationals have died in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office, and another three have died during ICE operations, according to data reviewed by Axios from the Detention Watch Network.

• More broadly, 19 immigrants have died in ICE custody in 2026, and 31 died last year, according to Detention Watch Network tracking.
• By comparison, ICE reported 26 total deaths across President Biden's term.

The other side: "There has been NO spike in deaths," a Homeland Security official told Axios in an emailed statement.

• "Consistent with data over the last decade, as of May 29, death rates in custody under the Trump administration are 0.008% of the detained population."
• "As bed space has rapidly expanded, we have maintained a higher standard of care than most prisons that hold U.S. citizens—including providing access to proper medical care."

What we're watching: Velasco Álvarez also said he plans to ask the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to investigate.

• The commission investigates complaints of human rights violations in 34 countries across the Americas, including the United States.
• Its parent organization, the Organization of American States, did not respond to Axios' request for comment on Velasco Álvarez's proposal.

Go deeper: ICE custody deaths reach highest peak in two decades under Trump enforcement push