During a daily press conference by the Presidency, Velasco stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will request support from the Attorney General's Office of Mexico to formally file a complaint with American judicial authorities. This complaint refers to the deaths of Mexican citizens that occurred during operations conducted by immigration services (ICE) at detention facilities.
Shift from Diplomatic to Judicial Sphere
The minister explained that the purpose of this action is to move the issue from the diplomatic sphere to the judicial sphere, requesting that US authorities initiate criminal investigations related to these incidents. Furthermore, the Mexican government plans to take civil actions against the corporations responsible for managing these detention centers, alleging human rights violations that were a factor in the death of 14 Mexican nationals in custody.
Search for International Protection
The head of Mexican diplomacy also announced that, in collaboration with civil society entities, the government will submit petitions to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, aiming to obtain protective measures for Mexican citizens detained in ICE centers. Additionally, it was announced that Mexico will seek the intervention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, with the aim of strengthening the safeguarding of Mexicans detained in the United States.
Government Priority and Recent Context
Velasco clarified that all these measures were determined by the Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, and assured that the situation will be treated as a priority in discussions with the US Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security. This announcement comes a few days after an ICE agent fatally shot Mexican citizen Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during an immigration operation carried out in the American state of Texas. Mexican authorities reported that since Donald Trump's return to the presidency of the United States, at least 17 Mexican citizens have died in ICE detention centers or during immigration activities.
