ICE Threatens to Deport Witnesses of Latest Fatal Shooting in Houston
Immigration officers killed Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, and now three eyewitnesses held in ICE custody face deportation as the agency disputes their account.
Advocacy groups are demanding that the Department of Homeland Security release body camera footage of the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant killed by ICE officers during a traffic stop in Houston this week. DHS claims the agents were not wearing body cameras because a 76-day government shutdown prevented ICE from receiving additional funding—a shutdown sparked by congressional disputes over DHS reforms after two earlier civilian deaths.
The incident occurred Tuesday around 7 AM as Salgado Araujo, who owned a construction business, drove to a worksite with three employees. An ICE spokesperson said Salgado Araujo "weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer." However, three eyewitnesses, all in ICE detention, deny this. According to their accounts, shared by attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra with The Washington Post, ICE vehicles surrounded the work van on both sides and opened fire without provocation.
DHS stated that agents stopped Salgado Araujo "as part of a targeted enforcement operation," but sources told The New York Times and CNN that he was not the target. Officers were looking for two Guatemalan men and mistakenly stopped Salgado Araujo's van. ICE has recently increased its presence in Houston as part of a broader enforcement push. Earlier this month, ICE reported arresting 10,000 people in five days.
The sharp rise in arrests may be fueled by racial profiling. According to hundreds of federal court records analyzed by The City Reporter, DHS agents in the New York City area disproportionately target Latinos. Though Latin Americans make up about 66% of the region's undocumented population, more than 93% of those arrested by DHS were Latinos. Many arrests follow the same pattern as Salgado Araujo's stop—agents grab individuals who resemble a target, even if they are not the intended person.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who took over after Kristi Noem was ousted, reportedly sought a softer image on immigration after criticism over tactics in Minnesota. But the shooting sparked protests in Houston, with hundreds marching. Democrats are calling for an independent investigation. DHS's Office of the Inspector General has opened a probe, and the FBI's Houston field office is investigating the alleged assault on a federal officer—despite witnesses denying any assault.
Attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra said all three survivors independently verified that government vehicles surrounded the van and started shooting. This is not the first time federal immigration officers have justified shooting civilians by claiming self-defense. In previous cases like those of Renée Good and Marimar Martinez, video footage contradicted DHS's claims.
CNN reports that body cameras have been distributed to half of ICE's field offices nationwide, and DHS claims all offices will receive cameras within 60 days. Even if video evidence doesn't force DHS to hold itself accountable, it can allow the public to know the truth—even as the government tries to deport eyewitnesses.
