Houston Construction Worker Fatally Shot by ICE Officer

Anti-ICE-Protest-Chicago-September-19 — Source: DOMINIC GWINN / Getty

The family of a Houston-area construction worker is demanding answers after 53-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during an immigration enforcement operation. According to relatives and U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Salgado Araujo had lived in the United States for decades without any criminal convictions and was on his way to a homebuilding job when the shooting occurred.

Federal officials said ICE agents attempted to stop Salgado Araujo’s vehicle as part of an immigration enforcement operation. The Department of Homeland Security said he ignored commands and attempted to ram an officer with his vehicle, prompting the officer to fire in what the agency described as self-defense. Officials also claimed his vehicle struck an ICE vehicle during the encounter. However, authorities have not released body camera footage, surveillance video, or photos from the incident.

Salgado Araujo’s family disputes the government’s account and says he had been working toward obtaining legal status in the United States. His son, Ronaldo Salgado, believes his father may have been frightened because the officers were traveling in unmarked vehicles and may have feared they were attempting to steal the construction tools he had relied on for more than three decades. During a news conference, Salgado described his father as a hardworking husband, father, and employer who helped provide jobs for dozens of other workers pursuing the American dream.

Houston firefighters said Salgado Araujo was shot in the abdomen and later died at a local hospital. Three other men who were riding in the vehicle were detained by federal authorities. Family members identified two of them as Daniel Tirado and Jose Rojas, both Mexican nationals who, according to relatives, had also lived in the United States for years without criminal records. Their families say they have received little information from ICE regarding their whereabouts or legal status.

Rep. Sylvia Garcia, along with civil rights organizations and the victim’s family, is calling on federal authorities to release all available evidence related to the shooting, including body camera footage and dashcam video. The request comes amid concerns raised in previous federal officer-involved shootings, where initial government accounts were later challenged by video evidence. As the investigation continues, Salgado Araujo’s family says they are seeking transparency and accountability surrounding the events that led to his death.