Fatal ICE shooting in Houston sparks demands for transparency, independent investigation

Demands for an independent investigation are growing after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot a man in Houston, the latest in a series of deadly encounters involving immigration officers.

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He dedicated his life in the United States to giving his family the American dream.

ICE reported that the deceased, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national living in the U.S. illegally, drove his car into an ICE vehicle and tried to run over an officer during a targeted enforcement operation. The agency claims the officer fired in self-defense. Reuters could not independently verify Salgado's immigration status or the precise circumstances of the shooting.

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I recognized him immediately, not from his appearance, but from his voice, crying for help as he lay on the street, bleeding out.

At a press conference, Salgado's son, Ronaldo, described his father as a peaceful construction worker who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years and was working towards legal status. Flanked by members of Congress and Latino advocacy leaders, Ronaldo called for a full investigation, recounting how he learned of his father's death from a social media video showing him bleeding on the ground.

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It is un-American to use a fatal force against a human being, then lock away the evidence.

"It is un-American to use a fatal force against a human being, then lock away the evidence," said Roman Polares, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, at the press conference. He added, "For too long, we have watched an open season declared on Latinos, and communities of color, under the guise of public safety."

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For too long, we have watched an open season declared on Latinos, and communities of color, under the guise of public safety.