Mexico Rejects US Request to Detain Migrants During Traffic Stops

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday rejected a renewed request from US President Donald Trump to detain migrants during traffic stops. Speaking at her daily press conference, Sheinbaum said no meeting or telephone conversation with Trump is currently planned. However, she added that in due course she would address the deaths of more than a dozen Mexican citizens during operations by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and in detention centres. She called for respect for migrants’ human rights and said a distinction must be made between people with criminal records and those facing administrative issues related to their immigration status. “If someone has committed a crime, that person must go through the legal process. However, unlawful immigration status should not be treated as a criminal offence,” Sheinbaum said. She added that deportations carried out on immigration grounds must still respect human rights. Sheinbaum also confirmed that a Mexican national who died during an immigration operation after being struck by a lorry while attempting to flee has been identified, without providing further details. She added that Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco had spoken with US Ambassador Ronald Johnson and other State Department officials about the legal steps Mexico is taking and the reasoning behind them.