According to the Mexican government, the deaths of 17 immigrants from Mexico occurred during a mass immigration crackdown campaign launched during the second term of US President Donald Trump. These individuals lived in the United States for decades, building their lives, families, and communities, although some are known only by their names, age, arrest records, and place of death.
The deaths of these immigrants have heightened tensions between Mexico and the United States. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences, stating that the entire country shares the pain of their families. On Monday, Mexico began filing complaints with federal and state prosecutors in the US, demanding criminal investigations, and also sent letters to cease illegal actions by private companies managing detention centers in the US where the Mexican immigrants died.
According to data from Mexican and US authorities, fourteen men died while in law enforcement custody—either in detention centers or in medical facilities they were transferred to. The remaining three people died during immigration control operations. The most recent case is the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old construction worker, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer during an operation in Houston last week.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in response to inquiries by CNN, denied any increase in deaths at its facilities or during operations. DHS assured that detainees 'receive due legal process and are provided with adequate food, water, medical care, and the opportunity to communicate with family members and lawyers.' Furthermore, DHS refuted allegations of abuses by its personnel.
The Mexican government intensified its response after reviewing the cases of these 17 individuals. Among them are: Abelardo Avellaneda Delgado, 68, who died on May 5, 2025, while being transferred from Loudoun County jail to Stuart detention center in Georgia; ICE reported that the preliminary cause was a medical issue. Juan Molina Vea, 45, passed away on June 7, 2025, at the same Georgia detention center, found unconscious with a noose around his neck.
Lorenzo Antonio Batres Vargas, 32, died on August 31, 2025, during immigration detention, complications arising from diabetes and COVID-19. Oscar Rascón Duarte, 58, died on September 8, 2025, at Banner Medical Center in Arizona due to Alzheimer's disease, right kidney cancer, and hepatitis C.
Ismael Ayala Uribe, 39, died on September 22, 2025, at a California hospital following cardiac arrest. His case drew attention as he was a beneficiary of the DACA program under former US President Barack Obama's administration. Miguel Ángel García Hernández, 31, died on September 30, 2025, from gunfire at an immigration facility in Dallas. Leo Cruz Silva, 34, died on October 4, 2025, in St. Genevieve County jail, Missouri, where he was found with a rope around his neck, and the case was classified as suicide.
Gabriel García Aviles, 56, died on October 23, 2025, at a California hospital from heart failure caused by alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Heber Sánchez Domínguez, 34, died on January 14, 2026, found hanged at Robert A. Dayton detention center in Georgia. Alberto Gutiérrez Reyes, 48, died on February 27, 2026, after being transferred from a detention center to a hospital in California.
Royer Pérez Jiménez, 19, died on March 16, 2026, at a Glades County detention center in Florida, where he was found unconscious. José Guadalupe Ramos Solano, 36, died on March 25, 2026, at the Adelanto detention center in California; the cause of death remains undetermined. Jaime Alanis García, 57, died in July 2025 after falling from a roof during an ICE raid in California. Silvio Villegas González, 38, was shot by an ICE agent on September 12, 2025, during a roadside stop in Chicago. Alejandro Cabrera Clemente, 49, died on April 11, 2026, at the Winn detention center in Louisiana. Félix Alcorta Rodríguez, 63, died on June 19, 2026, at the Webb County detention center in Texas. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, died on July 7, 2026, after being shot by an ICE agent during an operation in Houston.
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.
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.
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.
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.
