Mexico threatens legal action over citizens’ deaths in ICE custody
Mexico plans to file criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of Mexican nationals in ICE custody, Mexico’s Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Álvarez said Thursday.
Why it matters: Mexico had already made diplomatic complaints about the deaths, but taking the United States to court would raise the stakes for the Trump administration as foreign governments and rights advocates continue to scrutinize ICE deaths.
What they’re saying: “We’re going to do everything we can in our power,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters at a Thursday morning press conference.
- “What we can’t do is neglect the Mexicans who have died in ICE operations or who were detained in detention centers…that’s why we’re pressing for more action.”
- Velasco Álvarez said Mexico will move beyond previously used diplomatic channels and file complaints directly with U.S. prosecutors, asking them to investigate the incidents as criminal matters.