The Mexican government will pursue legal action in the United States following the death of Mexican citizen Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who died after being shot by an agent of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an immigration operation in Houston, Texas.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the decision during her Wednesday morning press conference, where she said her administration will go “beyond diplomatic notes” and the complaints filed before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), considering the responses received so far to be insufficient.
“Our objective is to go beyond diplomatic notes and beyond what we have presented before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, because they respond to us, but now there is yet another regrettable death of one of our nationals in the United States related to detention, when his only offense was not having legal documents, even though he had been hired by a U.S. company,” the president said.
Sheinbaum stated that the Mexican government “cannot allow the mistreatment” of its citizens and announced that the legal actions will be coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE), led on this occasion by the Undersecretary for North America, Roberto Velasco, who has already led the diplomatic strategy in previous cases.
The decision marks a tougher response by the Mexican government to the growing number of deaths of Mexican nationals while in custody or during immigration operations in the United States.
According to the official account from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE, the incident occurred on the morning of July 7 during an operation aimed at arresting an undocumented immigrant in Houston.
The U.S. agency stated that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo allegedly attempted to flee, rammed an official vehicle, and used his pickup truck in an attempt to run over one of the agents, who responded by firing in self-defense. Salgado was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The case is being investigated by the DHS Office of Inspector General, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the alleged assault on the federal agent. However, the victim’s family rejects that version of events.
Ronaldo Salgado, the son of the deceased Mexican national, told local media that his father had lived in the United States for approximately 35 years, worked in construction, and was in the process of regularizing his immigration status. He said that morning, his father was on his way to pick up workers to begin the workday.
“My father did not deserve this,” he said in a public statement released after the shooting.
Democratic Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, whose district includes the area where the operation took place, called for a full and independent investigation, while organizations such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) denounced what they described as a pattern of excessive use of force by ICE and demanded greater transparency.
Salgado’s case adds to a series of migrant deaths while in ICE custody or during immigration operations that have raised concern in both Mexico and the United States.
According to figures cited by the Mexican government and various international media outlets, at least 17 people have died in ICE custody so far in 2026, while human rights organizations have warned of an increase in enforcement operations and the use of force under the current immigration policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Reuters reported that Salgado’s death represents at least the sixth fatal shooting involving ICE agents since January 2025, amid an intensification of immigration enforcement operations in cities across the United States.
The decision to pursue legal action in U.S. courts represents a shift in the Mexican government’s strategy. Last March, following the death of Mexican national Jesús Molina Veya while in immigration custody in Florida, Mexico submitted a diplomatic note and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. The Sheinbaum administration now believes those diplomatic mechanisms are no longer sufficient.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated that Mexican consulates continue to maintain active consular protection protocols to provide legal assistance and support to the families of Mexican nationals who are detained or have died in the United States.
As federal investigations into the case of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo continue, the Mexican government insists that any immigration enforcement procedure must respect due process, human rights, and the proportional use of force, regardless of a person’s immigration status.
