Mexico to file criminal complaints over migrants killed by ICE in US | Mexico
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday that Mexico will file criminal charges with the United States for the deaths of more than a dozen Mexican immigrants in immigration detention and people killed in anti-immigrant operations.
The deaths include the killing last week in Houston of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who Sheinbaum said was “almost killed.”
“This is a case that has sparked outrage among all Mexicans,” the president said at a morning news conference. “We can’t just continue with diplomatic letters that don’t produce results.”
A total of 17 Mexican citizens have died since Donald Trump began his crackdown on immigrants: 14 in custody and three, like Salgado Araujo, killed during ICE operations.
Salgado Araujo was shot and killed last Tuesday while he was on his way to work with his brother and two other men.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) insisted that Salgado Araujo “armed” his vehicle and attempted to hit an ICE officer, but this claim was denied by the other three men in the car.
It was stated that Salgado Araujo has been living in the USA for approximately 35 years and has no criminal history. Authorities in Houston launched their own investigation into the incident.
Sheinbaum frequently called for respect for the human rights of Mexican citizens in the United States and sent many diplomatic letters to Washington complaining about migrant deaths. But following the killing of Salgado Araujo, Sheinbaum said his government would file a complaint with U.S. federal and local courts on Monday.
“This is not about creating conflict. Far from it,” he said.
“But we, as a government and as Mexican men and women, cannot say, ‘Let’s not say anything to avoid any problems in our relations with President Trump’s government.'”
Relations between Mexico and the United States have become increasingly tense in recent months. In April, reports emerged that CIA agents were operating in Mexico without the permission or knowledge of the federal government, violating the country’s constitution.
Later that month, the U.S. justice department filed criminal charges against the governor of Sinaloa and nine other current and former Mexican officials, accusing them of alleged ties to the Sinaloa cartel and aiding the importation of large amounts of illegal drugs into the United States.
Sheinbaum has so far refused to hand over Governor Rubén Rocha Moya to US authorities due to lack of evidence against him.
