The Mexican government has announced plans to pursue legal action against the U.S. government following the death of a Mexican national during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Houston.
According to a statement, ICE law enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop as part of a targeted enforcement operation to arrest an illegal alien. The driver, a Mexican national, attempted to evade arrest and rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, resulting in the officer firing his weapon in self-defense.
The driver was struck and emergency services were immediately contacted. He was transported to the hospital where he passed away from his injuries. An investigation into the agent-involved shooting is ongoing.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned the incident, declaring there has been "another death of a Mexican national in the United States." She has vowed to seek accountability through the American legal system and plans to file criminal complaints in the U.S. regarding Mexican citizens who have died in immigration custody or while being targeted in anti-immigration operations.
Sheinbaum stated that her government cannot "turn a blind eye" to the deaths of Mexican citizens and will seek to hold accountable those considered to have committed homicides or human rights violations. The move comes after repeated failed attempts to engage with the U.S. through diplomatic channels.
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said that the government is going to "move beyond the diplomatic sphere" and go directly to U.S. prosecutors to file complaints regarding these incidents, requesting that they are investigated as criminal matters.
