A Venezuelan delivery driver was shot in Austin, Texas, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. This incident occurred on Sunday and has stirred protests and calls for transparency. The officer involved did not wear a body camera, according to CBS News sources.
The victim, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, is a 28-year-old Venezuelan working for DoorDash. Local authorities and his attorney confirmed that federal officials stated he has a deportation order. The shooting aligns with federal agents enforcing policies under President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
A report by The Atlantic initially highlighted the absence of body camera footage, which is expected to intensify scrutiny of the shooting. Currently, the incident has led to demonstrations in Texas and demands for independent investigation and accountability.
Law enforcement officers present at the protests faced resistance, as visual evidence shows.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had previously announced the intention to equip all ICE officers with body cameras by the end of September. He expressed optimism about meeting this deadline at a recent New York press conference.
There was no immediate response from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the lack of body camera use by the ICE officer involved.
Garces Perez’s condition has also been a point of contention. After being hospitalized on Sunday, he was taken into ICE custody. DHS claims he is in the U.S. illegally with a final deportation order.
Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro informed that Garces Perez was returned to the hospital on Monday. This followed his complaints about numbness on the left side of his body and his belief that the bullet remained in his back.
By Tuesday, Garces Perez had been moved again to ICE’s South Texas Detention Complex in Pearsall. Castro planned to visit him on Wednesday.
Garces Perez’s attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, reported that her client was only receiving Tylenol and ibuprofen for pain. He remains isolated and without a communication tablet he used before.
Lincoln-Goldfinch has filed a habeas petition for Garces Perez’s release, citing constitutional grounds. U.S. District Court Judge Orlando Garcia ordered Garces Perez to attend an in-person hearing set for next Wednesday, Sept. 30. This order temporarily halts any deportation until the hearing concludes.