ICE Shooting – Houston Family Seeks Answers After Worker’s Death
ICE Shooting – A Mexican construction worker who was fatally shot during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Houston had spent decades building homes in the United States and had no criminal convictions, according to his family and a Texas lawmaker.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was driving several workers to a homebuilding site on Tuesday when the encounter with federal immigration officers turned deadly in the Magnolia Park area. His family said he had been pursuing legal status and had prepared for the possibility of an ICE stop.
Family questions federal account of the shooting
The Department of Homeland Security said Salgado Araujo ignored commands and tried to ram an ICE officer during an immigration enforcement operation. Officials said the officer fired in self-defense after the vehicle struck an ICE vehicle.
Federal authorities have not released video footage, photographs or other evidence from the incident. Salgado Araujo’s relatives and local civil rights groups have called for the release of all available recordings, including footage from officers, nearby cameras and witnesses.
His son, Ronaldo Salgado, said his father may not have realized the people following him were federal officers because they were traveling in unmarked vehicles. He said his father may have feared that the workers’ tools, which had supported the family for years, were being targeted.
“He deserved to be known as a father, husband and employer,” Ronaldo Salgado said during a news conference. “He worked for decades to give his family opportunities.”
Lawmaker says worker had no criminal record
Democratic Rep. Sylvia Garcia said Salgado Araujo had no criminal convictions. Houston firefighters said he suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and later died at a hospital.
The federal government said officers had sought to detain Salgado Araujo because he was living in the country without legal permission. His family said he had begun the process of applying for a work permit and had completed biometric screening and fingerprinting earlier this year.
Ronaldo Salgado said his father had followed the legal process closely and understood what to do if approached by immigration officers. He said Salgado Araujo would have cooperated if he had clearly identified the people involved as law enforcement.
Other workers detained after the incident
Three other men were detained during the operation, according to relatives. One of them was identified as Daniel Tirado, who briefly contacted his wife to say the group was being followed before communication stopped.
Tirado’s stepdaughter, Juana Degollado, said the family received only a short phone call from him on Wednesday morning and had not been given further details by ICE or the FBI.
Another detained worker, Jose Rojas, has lived in the United States for decades and also has no criminal record, according to his stepdaughter, Griselda Silva. ICE has not publicly identified the people detained during the operation.
Community march calls for transparency
Hundreds of people marched through Magnolia Park on Wednesday night, carrying signs with Salgado Araujo’s image and calling for immigration authorities to leave Houston. The neighborhood has long been a center of Mexican American life in the city.
The march began near the location where Salgado Araujo was shot. Participants held a memorial, offered prayers and recorded a message of support for his family.
The League of United Latin American Citizens announced a $5,000 reward for information, photographs or video related to the shooting. The organization and several advocacy groups are seeking an independent investigation, arguing that federal agencies should not be solely responsible for examining the incident.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said Salgado Araujo’s relatives and the broader community deserve a full account of what happened. However, federal authorities are currently handling the investigation.
Mexico raises concern over death of national
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government was preparing legal measures following Salgado Araujo’s death. She said Mexican citizens in the United States should not face mistreatment and that officials would review possible legal options.
Sheinbaum has previously raised concerns about the deaths of Mexican nationals in U.S. immigration detention and said Mexico would support legal action involving detainees or families affected by detention-related deaths.
Salgado Araujo’s family said they want answers, accountability and recognition of the life he built through years of work in Houston’s construction industry.