Key facts
- Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by ICE officers on July 7 in Houston.
- His sons testified at a congressional hearing, disputing the official account of the incident.
- Passengers in the van stated officers initiated the crash and fired when no one was in danger.
- The Harris County District Attorney's office has not received requested information from DHS.
- Democratic members of Congress have also been unable to obtain information from DHS and ICE.
The sons of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on July 7 in Houston, testified at a congressional hearing Friday. They described the emotional impact of their father's death and demanded a transparent investigation into the circumstances. Salgado Araujo, who had lived in the U.S. without legal status for 35 years, was killed when ICE officers pursued his work van. His sons, Lorenzo Jr. and Ronaldo, presented their father as a hardworking family man who had never been in trouble with the law.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Salgado Araujo rammed his van into ICE vehicles and attempted to run over an officer, who then fired in self-defense. However, passengers in the van, including Salgado Araujo's brother Victor, have disputed this account. They claim officers initiated the crash and fired their weapons when no one was in danger. These passengers have been arrested and remain in immigration detention.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare informed the hearing that DHS has not provided his office with requested information, including the name of the officer involved. Despite this, Teare stated his office is making significant progress in its investigation. The sons emphasized that their father would not have fled if he had known the vehicles were ICE, as they were unmarked. They also recounted the agonizing wait for information after the shooting, learning of their father's death through social media and later hospital confirmation.
Democratic members of Congress, including Representative Sylvia Garcia, have also written to DHS and ICE seeking answers but have received no response. The sons appealed to Congress for justice, sharing the profound grief and helplessness their family has experienced.