MEXICO CITY, July 10 (HS/RIA Novosti) - The Mexican authorities will move from diplomatic protests to legal action against the United States following the deaths of 17 Mexican citizens in migrant detention centers and during US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, Mexican Foreign Secretary Roberto Velasco said.

The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs will seek the support of the Office of the Attorney General of Mexico to formally file complaints with state attorneys' offices and the US Department of Justice against anyone who may be responsible for the deaths of Mexicans in custody and during ICE operations. In other words, we are moving from the diplomatic sphere to direct appeals to US prosecutor's offices' bodies, Velasco said at a press conference of President Claudia Sheinbaum.

He said Mexico will also initiate civil proceedings against private companies operating ICE detention centers, formally demanding that they cease the practices and conditions that the Mexican authorities believe led to the deaths of 14 Mexican citizens.

According to the Mexican authorities, since the beginning of 2025, 14 Mexican citizens have died in ICE detention centers, and three more during US immigration enforcement operations. A total of 58 foreigners of various nationalities have died in ICE immigration detention centers in 2025-2026.

Mexico has already sent 11 diplomatic notes of protest to the US government demanding an investigation into each case. The issue has also been raised during meetings with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar