Last week, the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent marked a critical moment in the already tense relations between the United States and Mexico. In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that her administration would lodge formal complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice and relevant state prosecutors regarding the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals in federal detention or during immigration enforcement in the U.S.
Sheinbaum emphasized that the Mexican government would also pursue civil lawsuits against companies that operate immigrant detention centers, fulfilling a commitment made shortly after Araujo’s death in Houston. She described these incidents as human rights violations against Mexicans residing in the United States.
“This is probably one of the toughest moments in the relationship since 1985,” remarked Tony Payan, the executive director of the Claudio X. Gonzalez Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
During her address, Sheinbaum urged political parties in Mexico to unite in support of their compatriots living in the U.S. and called for official inquiries and statements condemning the human rights violations faced by Mexicans.
“I don’t think this situation is acceptable to anyone,” she stated. “This is an issue for all Mexicans.”
The Mexican Foreign Minister, Roberto Velasco, informed the U.S. ambassador to Mexico about the forthcoming complaints, receiving a receptive response, according to Sheinbaum.
While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not directly address the complaints, it asserted that there had been no increase in deaths among detainees, maintaining a rate of just 0.008% as of May 29. The agency claimed that detainees receive a higher standard of care than those in most U.S. prisons, and that all detainees are afforded due process, meals, water, and medical treatment. However, this assertion has been contested by attorneys and family members of detainees.
Experts assert that the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico is currently in its most precarious state in decades. The Mexican government is no stranger to utilizing the U.S. legal system to hold American companies accountable, having previously filed a $10 billion lawsuit against gun manufacturers in 2021 over the flow of U.S. weapons into Mexico, a case that was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Additionally, Mexico is pursuing ongoing litigation against gun dealers for allegedly supplying military-grade weapons to drug cartels.
Historically, both Republican and Democratic administrations have viewed these legal actions as minor inconveniences, with little impact on overall bilateral relations. However, Eric L. Olson, former associate director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center, noted that the stakes appear to be heightened in the current context.
Payan recalled the last significant strain in U.S.-Mexico relations occurred in 1985, following the murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Salazar by cartel members, which led to a massive manhunt in Mexico and a temporary border closure by President Ronald Reagan.
The deterioration of U.S.-Mexico relations began during Donald Trump’s first term, exacerbated in his second term when he labeled major drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and indicted Mexican officials for alleged collusion with drug traffickers, according to Carlos Heredia, a professor of international studies at the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics in Mexico City.
Adding to the tension is a breakdown in trade negotiations, as the U.S. opted not to renew the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement for another 16 years, leaving it subject to annual review until 2036. This uncertainty regarding the trade agreement poses a significant risk to Mexico, which heavily relies on access to U.S. markets.
Heredia emphasized the importance of Mexico taking decisive action following the deaths of its citizens in U.S. custody or at the hands of federal agents, arguing that as the U.S. labels a Mexican official a threat to its national security, Mexico can rightfully assert that ICE poses a threat to the security of Mexicans due to racial profiling.
While Payan believes that the Mexican government’s complaints will not escalate tensions significantly, he comments that pursuing justice through the court system is inherently a slow endeavor. Conversely, Olson warns that the Trump administration’s tendency to take offense on various issues could lead to broader implications for U.S.-Mexico relations.
Olson foresees that issues that typically would not provoke conflict may now become sources of irritation, as both nations adopt a finger-pointing stance rather than collaborating as partners. He cautions that this mindset could result in an increase in tensions and conflicts between the two countries.
