Mexico Condemns Silverio Villegas’ Death, Demands Investigation

ByMexico Solidarity

This article by Arturo Sánchez Jiménez and Emir Olivares originally appeared in the September 24, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. The remains of Silverio Villegas González, a fellow Mexican citizen who lost his life during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Franklin Park, Illinois, on September 12, will be repatriated this Thursday, September 25, to his community in Michoacán, where family and neighbors will pay tribute and bury him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) announced Tuesday.

The Foreign Ministry stated that, in parallel, the Head of the North American Unit delivered a diplomatic note to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. In this document, the Mexican government expressed its condemnation of the violent events that led to the death of the Mexican national and reiterated its demand for a rigorous and transparent investigation to fully clarify the case.

Bodycam footage acquired by Reuters & released today casts doubt on the US government’s suggestion that the ICE Agent was hit and dragged by a car and feared his own life. The video also shows a policeman suggesting his department would not investigate a federal officer.

The Mexican Consulate General in Chicago and the Mexican Embassy in the United States are in constant communication with U.S. authorities, particularly the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which has been formally requested to lead the investigation. The Mexican government is currently awaiting a response that guarantees that the incidents will not go unpunished.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Villegas González’s family has received comprehensive support throughout the entire process. The consulate in Chicago provided support in the recovery of the remains, coordination with the Cook County coroner’s office, and repatriation procedures. The family’s emotional and legal situation has also been monitored.

Photo: Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere via X

The Foreign Ministry reiterated that the defense and protection of Mexicans abroad is a central priority of its foreign policy. It noted that the consular network deployed in the United States is empowered to act immediately in cases of human rights violations, as well as to guarantee legal assistance and humanitarian support to Mexicans.