ICE Shooting in Houston: Witnesses Dispute DHS Account

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo had lived in the United States for nearly 35 years. He had no criminal history. On Tuesday morning he picked up three coworkers — including his brother — and drove toward a construction site in Houston. Two unmarked ICE vehicles followed the van. ICE opened fire. Salgado was taken to a hospital, where he died. His family learned of his death through social media posts.

Witnesses say the official story does not hold up

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Salgado "weaponized" his vehicle and tried to run over an ICE officer, forcing the officer to shoot in self-defense. But the three men who were inside the van tell a different story. Texas attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, who represents two of them, held a press conference on Friday. He said his clients "reiterated that at no point was there ever an agent standing in front of the vehicle, nor was an agent ever placed in the line of danger." A written statement from one of the men, reviewed by the Washington Post, says: "There were no officers in front of or behind the vehicle. They were on the sides." Texas Representative Sylvia Garcia added that there appeared to be no damage to the vehicles at the scene — and that the ICE officers involved wore no body cameras and drove cars without dash-cams.

According to reporting by the New York Times and Representative Garcia, Salgado and his brother were not even the intended arrest targets. ICE believed someone else was in the van. The Harris County District Attorney, Sean Teare, launched an investigation and said his office was "not invited to the scene." The FBI is also investigating. This is not an isolated incident: there have been at least 10 fatal shootings by federal immigration officials since January 2025, and videos from earlier cases have already called DHS statements into question — including the deaths of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

The three surviving men are now held at the Montgomery Processing Center, a privately run ICE facility in Conroe, Texas. Their attorney says they are being pressured to sign voluntary departure orders — documents that would deport them from the US. "It is extremely important that we preserve the integrity of this investigation — that will all be out the window if they are deported," Balderas-Ibarra said. Salgado's family and lawmakers are demanding an independent investigation and calling on the DHS inspector general's office to share evidence with local prosecutors.

What to do

• If you or someone you know is detained by ICE, say clearly: "I want to speak with a lawyer." Do not sign any documents — including voluntary departure or self-removal orders — without first consulting an immigration attorney.
• Contact a local immigration legal aid organization immediately. Organizations like RAICES, the ACLU, or local legal aid societies can sometimes reach detained individuals quickly.
• If you witness an ICE enforcement action, record video from a safe distance if it is legal in your state. Do not interfere. Share footage with attorneys or civil rights groups, not only with federal agents.
• If a family member is detained and you fear they are being pressured to sign deportation papers, call their attorney or a legal aid hotline the same day — delays can result in rapid removal before a court can intervene.