Shooting Incident Involving ICE Agent in Austin Leaves Venezuelan Driver Injured

Protesters gathered in Austin on Sunday following a shooting incident involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, which left a man wounded. Wilber Rafael Garcés Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash delivery driver, was shot in the torso and subsequently transferred from a hospital to a detention center with a bullet still lodged in his back, according to his lawyer. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated it is investigating the shooting of a man who had entered the country illegally. The circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear, prompting local officials, including the mayor and police, to call for an investigation. This incident follows a previous shooting in Houston where a man was killed by an ICE officer. The shooting occurred shortly before 1:00 PM local time, and details are still limited. Protesters, some carrying flags from Mexico and Guatemala, gathered at the scene, demanding that ICE leave Austin. Local media reported the demonstrators were positioned across from a blue Toyota Corolla that had damage to its passenger-side door, with ICE agents present nearby. Mayor Kirk Watson stated that residents have a right to know what transpired and to feel safe in their city, expressing satisfaction that the city will be involved in the investigation. He noted an increase in ICE operations in Austin in recent weeks. ICE has faced scrutiny following several deadly shootings, including the case of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot during an ICE traffic stop despite not being a target of investigation. Texas Congressman Greg Casar has called for a full independent investigation into the recent shooting and the release of body camera footage, demanding accountability for any ICE officer who may have acted unlawfully. Activists have accused the administration of violating due process during its immigration enforcement actions. Democrats have called for reforms within ICE, including the requirement for agents to wear body cameras and to not conceal their identities. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice charged an ICE agent with lying about the non-fatal shooting of a Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota, marking a rare instance of federal accountability for agents' actions. Florida lawmaker Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican critical of the immigration crackdown, recently released an advertisement addressing the targeting and detaining of individuals without criminal records. Salazar stated she has communicated with the president and believes he understands the situation well.