Mexico’s president is threatening legal action against the United States after an illegal immigrant was fatally shot by ICE agents in Texas during what federal officials say was a violent assault on law enforcement.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her government is exploring judicial action against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following Tuesday’s incident in Houston.
“We cannot allow the mistreatment of our brothers who are in the United States,” Sheinbaum said during a press conference.
According to ICE, agents were attempting to arrest Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who was illegally present in the United States, when he allegedly resisted arrest, rammed an ICE vehicle, and then attempted to run over a federal agent with his car. Agents responded by opening fire, fatally wounding Salgado.
In her remarks, Sheinbaum did not mention the allegations that Salgado used his vehicle as a weapon against federal officers.
Instead, she claimed, “His only fault was not having papers,” arguing that migrants should not face violence or detention.
Sheinbaum said Mexico is considering legal action beyond diplomatic protests, though she did not explain exactly what court or legal mechanism her government plans to use.
The threat echoes similar promises she made earlier this year to bring complaints before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Those efforts ultimately had no legal impact because the United States is not a member of the Inter-American Human Rights System.
The latest dispute adds another flashpoint to ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement, as the Trump administration continues to expand ICE operations while Mexico publicly challenges the legality of those actions.