Following several migrant deaths, Mexico will sue the United States.

The Mexican government announced Thursday its intention to file criminal complaints in the United States following the deaths of several Mexican nationals in detention centers for migrants or during operations conducted by U.S. immigration services. This decision marks a hardening of Mexico City's stance toward Washington, amid increasingly strained bilateral relations.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that 14 Mexican citizens died while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while three others lost their lives during arrest operations conducted by the agency. She added that the lawsuits will aim to establish the criminal responsibility of those suspected of homicide or human rights violations.

This announcement comes two days after the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican man who had been living illegally in the United States for nearly 30 years. He was shot dead Tuesday by an ICE agent in Houston, Texas. His death sparked protests in the city and brings to at least six the number of people killed by gunfire during immigration enforcement operations since the return of Donald Trump to the presidency in January 2025 and the launch of his policy of mass expulsions.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the deaths of Mexicans,” Claudia Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference. The president assured that her government would continue to support all Mexican citizens in need, “especially those whose only crime is working honestly in the United States.”

In response to inquiries from Reuters, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that no increase in the mortality rate among detainees had been observed under the Trump administration. The department asserted that detained migrants receive due process, medical care, access to food and water, and the ability to communicate with their families and lawyers. The U.S. Department of Justice had not yet responded at the time of publication.

According to Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco, this legal action comes after several unsuccessful diplomatic efforts. Mexico now believes that legal recourse is necessary to obtain answers about these deaths and hold those allegedly responsible accountable.