Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the use of violence in immigration protests in Los Angeles, as she urged the Mexican community abroad to remain peaceful.
“We do not agree with violent actions as a form of protest. Burning police cars appears to be more an act of provocation than of resistance. We condemn violence, no matter where it comes from,” Sheinbaum said in a prepared statement at her daily news briefing on Monday.
“We call on the Mexican community to act pacifically and not allow itself to be provoked,” she added.
But the Mexican president made clear that her government has an “unwavering commitment to the protection and defense of the human rights of Mexicans, regardless of their immigration status” — and called for due process in U.S. immigration proceedings.
“In this sense, we make a respectful but firm call to United States authorities for all immigration procedures to be carried out with adherence to due process, within a framework of respect for human dignity and the rule of law,” Sheinbaum said in her statement.
Sheinbaum pledged her government would continue using “all diplomatic and legal channels available” to make clear to the Trump administration that they oppose “practices that criminalize immigration and put at risk the safety and well-being of our communities in the United States.”
The statement comes amid rising tensions between immigration enforcement protesters and law enforcement in Los Angeles. Federal authorities said the weeklong immigration arrest tally in the L.A. area climbed to over 100, not including arrests of protesters over the weekend.
Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente said on Monday that 42 Mexican nationals had been detained in immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles. Four had already returned to Mexico — two voluntarily and two were deported.
The Associated Press contributed.