Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum takes a firmer stance with Trump on migrant deaths and Cuba

Mexico Confronts U.S. Over Deaths of Citizens in Immigration Custody

The Mexican government raised formal objections Tuesday over the mounting deaths of its citizens in U.S. immigration detention, marking a significant shift in President Claudia Sheinbaum’s approach to relations with the Trump administration.

Mexico’s protest came after 49-year-old Mexican citizen Alejandro Cabrera Clemente died in a Louisiana detention facility operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His death brings the total to fifteen Mexican citizens who have died in U.S. custody in just over a year.

“We are going to defend Mexicans at every level,” Sheinbaum declared during her Tuesday press briefing, describing the detention conditions as “incompatible with human rights standards and the protection of life.” She added that “there are many Mexicans whose only crime is not having papers.”

The Mexican president has directed consulates to conduct daily visits to detention centers and instructed her government to pursue investigations into all fifteen deaths. In an escalation of diplomatic pressure, Mexico will bring these cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and is considering appeals to the United Nations. The government has also pledged support for U.S. lawsuits filed by detainees over poor conditions.

This more assertive stance represents a calculated shift for Sheinbaum, who has previously maintained what she describes as a “cool head” in response to provocations from the Trump administration.

“We’ve seen the president raise her tone,” said Palmira Tapia, an analyst for Mexico’s Center for Economic Research and Teaching. “There’s been a shift, and we’ve seen Sheinbaum be more vocal than before.”

Since taking office, Sheinbaum has walked a fine line, balancing firm defense of Mexican sovereignty with pragmatic cooperation with the U.S. Her administration has cracked down on cartels more aggressively than her predecessor and worked to strengthen trade relations ahead of planned renegotiations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The rising death toll in ICE facilities coincides with growing U.S. public concern about immigration enforcement. A February AP-NORC poll found about six in ten American adults believe Trump has “gone too far” in deploying federal immigration agents in U.S. cities.

“Growing dissatisfaction around ICE activities in the United States creates a more comfortable platform for members of the Mexican government to raise concerns about the fate of Mexican citizens,” explained Carin Zissis, vice president of content strategy for the Council of the Americas.

Another significant point of contention between the two countries is Cuba. Mexico’s solidarity with the island nation has been a cornerstone of its foreign policy since the Cuban Revolution, which was famously planned in Mexico City by Fidel Castro and his comrades. This relationship holds particular importance for Sheinbaum’s progressive Morena party.

The issue came to a head in January when Trump announced tariffs on any country sending oil to Cuba. While Sheinbaum reluctantly paused oil shipments, she has continued to challenge the U.S. approach, describing Trump’s energy blockade as “unjust” and accusing Washington of “suffocating” Cubans with sanctions. Mexico has sent food and humanitarian aid to Cuba, and Sheinbaum personally donated $1,000 to relief efforts in a symbolic gesture.

“This is a Rubicon issue for her,” said Arturo Sarukhan, former Mexican ambassador to the U.S.

Mexico’s decision to continue hosting Cuban doctors, contrary to other Central American nations that have ended their programs under U.S. pressure, has drawn veiled threats from the Trump administration. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio referenced visa restrictions imposed on officials with ties to what he called a “forced labor scheme.”

Analysts suggest Sheinbaum’s bolder approach reflects a calculation that Mexico can push back on politically important issues while continuing cooperation on trade, security, and migration. Global energy market disruptions due to conflicts in the Middle East have also strengthened Mexico’s position.

“We’re at a moment where, due to global events, we’re facing different economic uncertainties. That gives the U.S. and Mexico more reason to work together,” Zissis noted.

However, Sarukhan cautioned that Sheinbaum must be careful not to jeopardize upcoming USMCA renegotiations, for which her government has meticulously laid groundwork.

“What’s going to be interesting going forward is whether she can continue to have her cake and eat it too,” he concluded.