The Mexican government has escalated the immigration crisis into U.S. courts by announcing the filing of 20 criminal complaints in state and county prosecutor offices across the United States. These lawsuits address the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals that occurred since May, either during operations or while in custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to a statement from the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE), Mexican Ambassador to Washington, Roberto Lazzeri, submitted these complaints on July 13. They were filed in the jurisdictions where the fatalities took place: eight with state prosecutors and twelve with county prosecutors in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas.
On the following day, July 14, the Embassy forwarded a complaint from the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) to the Department of Justice, through the Department of State, formally requesting investigations into the 17 deaths and updates on their progress.
This legal action is part of a broader strategy announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum on July 9. Mexico opted to abandon purely diplomatic channels after numerous fatalities were reported since May. Sheinbaum clarified that out of the 17 deaths, 14 occurred in detention centers and three during ICE operations.
Broader Legal and Diplomatic Measures
The strategy also includes civil lawsuits against companies operating detention centers, requests for precautionary measures before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH), and a letter from Foreign Secretary Roberto Velasco Álvarez to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. The letter requests an examination of these events' compliance with international standards and recommendations to prevent similar cases in the future.
Ambassador Lazzeri has held discussions with officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to voice Mexico’s concerns about conditions in detention centers, particularly those run by private companies.
Rising Bilateral Tensions
This legal escalation comes amid increasing bilateral tension. The previous week, Washington returned protest letters from the SRE, with Michael Kozak from the State Department's Western Hemisphere Affairs Office arguing that these letters aimed to direct U.S. personnel in their sovereign territory. He advised Mexico to use regular diplomatic channels for its concerns.
The immediate trigger for the crisis was the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican who was shot by an ICE agent during an immigration raid in Houston, Texas, on July 7.
The Harris County Coroner classified the incident as a homicide, citing the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the torso. ICE claimed Salgado Araujo attempted to flee and use his vehicle as a weapon, a version contested by witnesses and organizations like the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
The case is under investigation by the DHS Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the Harris County District Attorney, and a judge recently halted the deportation of a crucial witness to the incident.
Alarming Detention Center Mortality Rates
The mortality rate in ICE detention centers reached 88.9 deaths per 100,000 detainees in 2026, the highest in 22 years, according to a study published in the medical journal JAMA in April. This rate surpasses even the peak recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was 75.6 in 2020.
Among the Cuban nationals who have died in ICE custody in 2026 are Geraldo Lunas Campos—whose autopsy concluded death by asphyxiation as a homicide—Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, and Denny Adán González, with their cases reported between January and April.
The Mexican consular network continues to provide legal support to the victims' families and assists with the repatriation of remains, while High Commissioner Türk had already called for independent and transparent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration custody as early as January 2026.
Understanding the Legal Actions and Implications
What prompted Mexico to file these lawsuits in the United States?
The lawsuits were prompted by the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals during ICE operations or while in custody, indicating a shift from diplomatic to legal action due to the severity of the incidents.
Who is investigating the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo?
The death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo is being investigated by the DHS Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the Harris County District Attorney.
What are the broader implications of high mortality rates in ICE detention centers?
High mortality rates in ICE detention centers raise serious human rights concerns and may prompt calls for reform and increased oversight of detention practices.