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Mexican migrant killed by ICE: lawyer says bags in truck contained salt, not meth, contradicting agent's claim
🇲🇽 Mexico /Crime & Justice

Mexican migrant killed by ICE: lawyer says bags in truck contained salt, not meth, contradicting agent's claim

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Mexican migrant, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was killed by an ICE agent on July 7 in Houston, Texas.
  • ICE claims Salgado Araujo attempted to ram the agent, who then fired in self-defense, but passengers in the vehicle dispute this account.
  • The FBI searched Salgado Araujo's truck for drugs, finding small bags of a crystalline substance, which an agent suggested resembled methamphetamine, though the family's lawyer argues it was salt.

The family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican migrant killed by an ICE agent on July 7, is disputing the official account of the incident. Salgado Araujo died in Houston, Texas, when an agent fired shots as he allegedly attempted to ram the officer while traveling to work with three other individuals, including his brother.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, stated the agent acted in "self-defense." However, Salgado Araujo's companions, including his brother Víctor, have rejected this narrative. All three passengers were detained.

Adding another layer to the case, the FBI obtained a warrant to search Salgado Araujo's truck, suspecting he was carrying drugs. During the search, an FBI agent observed four small bags containing a white, crystalline substance on the dashboard and floor. The agent's affidavit stated the substance was "consistent" with methamphetamine based on its appearance and packaging.

una orden de registro no equivale a culpabilidad

— Ruby L. PowersThe attorney for the family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo comments on the FBI search warrant.

Ruby L. Powers, the attorney representing Víctor Salgado, countered this assertion. She stated that, to her knowledge, the substance found was "granulated salt," used for homemade electrolyte solutions by outdoor workers in Texas's extreme heat, not illicit drugs. Powers emphasized that a search warrant does not equate to guilt and that an unidentified substance is not a confirmed narcotic. She has requested an immediate analysis of the substance to clear Salgado's name and is also seeking Víctor Salgado's release from ICE custody.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare also expressed skepticism, telling NBC that "based on what we know about the passengers, it makes no sense that there would be drugs in the truck." He also questioned the public disclosure of the search warrant request, calling it "truly unique in my 20 years of career."

Es algo verdaderamente único en mis 20 años de carrera. No es algo que veamos hacer al FBI ni a ninguna agencia federal, especialmente antes de cualqu

— Sean TeareThe Harris County District Attorney comments on the FBI's public request for a search warrant.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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