Key facts
- Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, hospitalized with multiple leg fractures.
- ICE claimed officers were targeting Jose Mendoza-Cervantes.
- Mendoza-Cervantes' family provided proof of his death years ago.
- The man in the ICE photo is identified as Jose Hector Jimenez, deceased.
- Surveillance footage reportedly contradicts ICE's account of the incident.
A federal officer struck a Houston construction worker, Miguel Parra Hernandez, on October 10, believing him to be a man who had died years prior, according to the deceased man's family and an immigration advocacy group. Parra Hernandez, 48, remains hospitalized with multiple leg fractures and requires reconstructive ankle surgery. ICE stated its officers were targeting Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, who allegedly entered a vehicle with Parra Hernandez. However, the family of Mendoza-Cervantes provided documentation, including a death certificate, proving he died years ago. The man in the ICE photo identified as Mendoza-Cervantes is actually Jose Hector Jimenez, who died years ago while being pursued by federal immigration authorities. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare is considering criminal charges against the ICE officer, as surveillance footage reportedly contradicts ICE's claim that Parra Hernandez stepped in front of the vehicle. US House Representative Sylvia Garcia expressed concerns about ICE's operational practices and verification of targets.