US Judge Temporarily Halts Deportation of DoorDash Driver Shot by ICE

A US federal judge has temporarily halted the deportation of DoorDash driver Wilber Garces Perez, who was shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. His immigration lawyer, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, filed a federal lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent his removal from the country.

A judge has ordered Garces Perez to appear in person on 30 September, meaning he cannot be deported before that date. Lincoln-Goldfinch said on social media that a temporary block on the deportation had been secured while the case proceeds, though she stressed the fight is not over, as her client still requires appropriate medical care.

The gunshot fractured his clavicle, leaving him with significant swelling and pain and requiring him to wear a sling. It has not yet been determined what caused or how extensive the loss of movement in his arm is. A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office in Texas declined to comment on the case.

Lincoln-Goldfinch had earlier told the BBC that after Garces Perez was unable to move his arm while in detention, he was taken back to hospital on Monday evening, treated, and then returned to the detention facility. During the transfer, despite his injury, he was handcuffed, shackled at the ankles, placed in a waist chain, and handled roughly, she said. She added that detention personnel had revoked his communication privileges and moved him from the infirmary into an isolated room with a flat, non-adjustable bed. The BBC has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment.