Mexican External Relations Secretariat Demands US Investigate Death of Mexican Citizen in ICE Custody

ByArturo Sánchez Jiménez

This article by Arturo Sánchez Jiménez originally appeared in the March 28, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. The Secretariat of External Relations (SRE) last night demanded an investigation into the Adelanto immigration processing center in California, following the death of a Mexican national on the night of March 25 while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

With this case, to date 14 Mexicans have lost their lives in ICE custody or in immigration operations during President Donald Trump’s second term.

According to the agency, the Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino was notified by immigration authorities that the national was transferred to a hospital in Victorville, where he died; so far, the cause of death has not been officially determined.

The consular office activated the appropriate protocol and contacted the family of the deceased to provide assistance and support. It is also in communication with U.S. authorities to obtain the complete medical records, the cause of death, and the circumstances surrounding it, with the aim of fully clarifying the facts.

The Secretariat of External Relations reiterated its call to the responsible authorities to prevent these cases from continuing and demanded an immediate review of the Adelanto center, pointing to “serious omissions and evident deficiencies in the provision of medical care to people in its custody.”

The External Relations Secretariat stressed that the Mexican government will exhaust all legal and diplomatic avenues to raise awareness of the problem and closely monitor this case, and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the protection and dignity of Mexican nationals abroad.