Key facts
- Two passengers in a van shot by an ICE officer in Houston claim the official account of self-defense is false.
- They state the officer was not in danger of being run over and that the driver had put the vehicle in park when shots were fired.
- Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years without legal status and had no criminal record, was killed in the incident.
- The officers involved were not wearing body cameras, and no video of the shooting has surfaced.
- The passengers have filed habeas corpus petitions alleging their confinement is unconstitutional.
- Investigations into the shooting are being led by the U.S. Attorney's office, FBI, and DHS.
Two passengers in the van shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Houston have disputed the agency's account of the July 7 incident, stating the officer was not in danger of being run over and that the driver was parking when the shots were fired. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had initially claimed that 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years without legal status and had no criminal record, "weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer," and that the officer fired in self-defense.
Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego and Daniel Tirado Pantoja, who were riding with Salgado Araujo, submitted statements to a federal court asserting that the ICE officers were positioned to the sides of their van and never in front or behind it. Rojas Pliego described the government's account as "a lie" and "impossible," while Tirado Pantoja stated Salgado Araujo had "put vehicle in park as the agents were shooting."
Salgado Araujo died in front of his construction crew, including his brother, Victor Salgado. The incident, one of at least 10 killings during immigration enforcement operations since the start of President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign, led to protests in Houston and calls for an independent investigation. Neither the ICE officers nor Salgado Araujo's van were equipped with body cameras, and no photographic or video evidence of the shooting has emerged.
Rojas Pliego and Tirado Pantoja, who have been in the U.S. for decades without criminal history, were arrested and are now in immigration detention facilities. They have filed habeas corpus petitions, arguing their confinement is unconstitutional and seeking their release. Their attorney, Raed Gonzalez Olivieri, noted that the circumstances of their detention are exceptional, as they were allegedly shot at by their custodians, placing them at increased risk. Both men have applied for visas designed for victims of crimes who assist law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Aaron Reitz, stated his office, the FBI, DHS, and state and local law enforcement are conducting a full investigation. DHS confirmed its Office of Inspector General is also investigating, with the FBI leading the inquiry into the potential assault on a federal law enforcement officer. A judge has since barred the government from deporting Rojas Pliego or transferring Tirado Pantoja without court notification.