Mexico asks U.S. state attorneys general to pursue criminal probes into deaths in ICE custody and during raids

Mexico’s government has asked U.S. state attorneys general to open or pursue criminal investigations into deaths involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including deaths that occurred while Mexican immigrants were in ICE custody or during ICE raids and other operations, according to a request described Tuesday by The Guardian.

The Mexican government said the inquiry should cover cases involving Mexican nationals who have died in ICE custody or during agency actions. Mexico linked the request to a tally of deaths since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, saying 14 Mexican immigrants have died in ICE custody and three more have died during ICE operations.

The filing also pointed to the case of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, described in the report as a Mexican immigrant who was shot. The Guardian did not fully detail the circumstances of his death in the portion of the report provided, but said Mexico’s request seeks criminal investigation in cases of immigrants who died during ICE custody or operations.

In its letter to state prosecutors, Mexico’s request reflects a move to push investigatory authority beyond federal enforcement channels, aiming to ensure that potential criminal wrongdoing is evaluated by local and state legal systems. The request is notable because immigration enforcement actions typically involve federal agencies and federal oversight processes, while state attorneys general and state prosecutors can control whether state criminal statutes are pursued depending on facts, jurisdictional questions, and evidence.

U.S. investigations into deaths during enforcement operations often raise questions about use of force, detention conditions, medical care, and whether the actions of individual officers or contractors complied with applicable laws and policies. Mexico’s letter frames the matter around deaths of its nationals and asks prosecutors to review the cases through a criminal process rather than only administrative review or civil claims.

The next steps depend on how each state attorney general or prosecutorial office receives the request, whether it triggers new inquiries, and what evidence is accessible to state investigators. The Guardian report did not indicate whether any state prosecutors have publicly agreed to open criminal probes in response, nor did it describe the procedural timing for any decisions.