A Mexican national named Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Houston. He had no criminal convictions during his decades of living in the U.S. and was working towards securing legal status, according to his family and a Texas congresswoman.
Salgado Araujo’s son, Ronaldo Salgado, mentioned his father was driving a crew to a homebuilding site when the incident occurred. Federal officials stated they were conducting an immigration enforcement operation at the time. The son speculated his father might have been frightened, thinking the unmarked vehicles were there to steal his work tools.
“He did not deserve to die,” Ronaldo Salgado said, emphasizing his father’s role as a husband, father, and job creator. The shooting took place in Magnolia Park, a historically Mexican American neighborhood in Houston. A community march followed, with hundreds chanting, “ICE out of Houston!”
Federal officials claimed Salgado Araujo ignored commands and attempted to ram an ICE officer, prompting the officer to fire in self-defense. ICE targeted him due to his undocumented status, and his car reportedly struck an ICE vehicle. However, no evidence has been provided to support these claims.
According to Democratic U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Salgado Araujo held no criminal record. He was shot in the abdomen and later died at a hospital. Three other men involved with Salgado Araujo were detained after the incident, one being the son’s uncle. Family members of these men have expressed difficulty in obtaining further information from ICE.
The Department of Homeland Security has not released videos or images of the incident. Community leaders and civil rights groups demand transparency and call for an independent investigation. Concerns over ICE’s investigation reliability have been raised due to inconsistencies in past cases.
The League of United Latin American Citizens offered a $5,000 reward for witness information and urged people to avoid sharing evidence with ICE. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare stated that Salgado Araujo’s family deserves the truth, but federal authorities have sole control of the investigation.
Ronaldo Salgado shared that his father was nearing achieving legal status, having completed all necessary processes. He stated that his father had been vigilant about following procedures in case of encounters with ICE.
A large rally occurred in Houston, with participants marching and holding signs for justice. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the killing and signaled potential legal actions to address the treatment of Mexican citizens in the U.S. She had previously expressed concerns regarding the deaths of Mexican nationals in U.S. detention.
Representative Garcia and other lawmakers issued a letter demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the incident.