Key facts
- ICE agents involved in a fatal Houston shooting lacked body cameras.
- DHS received $20 million for body cameras, according to Rep. Sylvia Garcia.
- Witnesses and a congresswoman dispute DHS's account of the shooting.
- The deceased, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was reportedly not the intended target.
- The Harris County District Attorney's office will investigate the shooting.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents involved in a fatal shooting in Houston were not equipped with body cameras, despite the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) having received $20 million for such equipment, according to lawmakers. Representative Sylvia Garcia stated that the interim ICE director confirmed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was killed during an immigration arrest operation, was not the intended target.
Witnesses and their lawyer have contradicted the DHS's account of the incident, which claimed Salgado Araujo drove his vehicle into an ICE vehicle and an agent fired in self-defense. Salgado Araujo, a construction worker who had lived in the U.S. for over 35 years, was reportedly close to obtaining legal status and had no criminal record.
The DHS stated that agents were observing a property and initiated a traffic stop when they saw an individual resembling the target in a white van. The agency indicated that the agents involved had not yet received body cameras, attributing the delay to Democrats and a government shutdown. However, Representative Christian Menefee blamed President Trump and Republican lawmakers for the lack of equipment.
The Harris County District Attorney's office announced it will investigate the shooting. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has offered a $5,000 reward for witness information, noting that obstructed security camera footage has made it difficult to ascertain the truth. The DHS expects the involved ICE agents to receive body cameras within the next 60 days.