A Mexican national, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Houston. He had no criminal convictions and was working towards legal status in the U.S., said his family and Texas congresswoman Sylvia Garcia.

Salgado Araujo was driving workers to a homebuilding site when the incident occurred. Federal officials stated they stopped the vehicle as part of an immigration enforcement operation. His son, Ronaldo Salgado, suggested that his father may have been afraid that unmarked vehicles were trying to steal his tools, which he used for over 35 years.

“He did not deserve to be reduced to a headline of Mexican man shot and killed by ICE,” said Ronaldo Salgado at a news conference, emphasizing his father’s role as a husband, father, and job creator.

The shooting took place in Magnolia Park, a historically Mexican American neighborhood in Houston. Hundreds protested the next evening, chanting “ICE out of Houston!” Salgado Araujo’s sons held up photographs of him during a news conference.

According to Homeland Security, Salgado Araujo was shot after allegedly ignoring commands and ramming an officer’s vehicle, prompting self-defense actions from the officer. Federal officials claim the man’s car struck ICE’s vehicle.

Despite Salgado Araujo’s lack of criminal record, he was reportedly targeted for living in the U.S. without legal permission. He was shot in the abdomen and died at a hospital. Other men, including his uncle, appeared detained during the incident. Witnesses have been urged not to share materials with ICE.

Civil rights groups and Democratic officials demand an independent investigation and the release of all footage. A $5,000 reward was offered for information about the shooting. Federal authorities exclusively handle the investigation, as confirmed by Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare.

Homeland Security and ICE have not addressed repeated information requests. The current department leadership, under Secretary Markwayne Mullin, seeks to avoid past controversies.

Ronaldo Salgado recounted seeing his father’s video, identifying him by his voice. Salgado Araujo had worked tirelessly, aiming to secure work permits and fulfill obligations. “Had my father seen an emblem of ICE or law enforcement, he would have complied,” his son asserted.

On the night of the protest march, participants carried Mexican flags and signs demanding the abolition of ICE. They conducted a memorial ceremony for Salgado Araujo and filmed a supportive video for his family.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the killing, indicating legal action plans. She stressed protection of Mexican nationals in U.S. detention, addressing the issue to international human rights bodies.

Corrections clarified Sheinbaum’s prior comments regarding potential U.N. intervention were made in April.