Another Immigrant in Critical Condition After ICE Shooting in Texas

Another incident has occurred in the U.S. state of Texas where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and critically injured an immigrant.

As the incident took place at a time when the Republican Party was intensely focused on securing Hispanic votes in Texas ahead of the midterm elections, Hispanic voters expressed their outrage and took to the streets.

According to the Associated Press and CNN on the 21st (local time), 28-year-old Venezuelan national Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez was left in critical condition following an ICE agent's shooting in Austin, Texas, on the afternoon of the 20th.

At the time of the shooting, Garcés Pérez was reportedly working as a delivery driver for the food delivery application DoorDash and was said to be without a legal visa.

According to sources, while checking license plates, the ICE agent spotted a Toyota Corolla registered to Garcés Pérez, who was subject to a deportation order, and opened fire when Garcés Pérez attempted to flee.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Austin city officials stated that Garcés Pérez's condition is serious but has stabilized.

The Austin Police Chief and the Mayor distanced themselves from the operation, stating that city police were not involved.

Mayor Kirk Watson, a Democrat, added that he hopes the city police department will participate in the investigation.

Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, the attorney representing Garcés Pérez, claimed that he had no criminal record and that his family was unaware of any deportation order.

In a statement, she explained, "Based on what we understand, Garcés Pérez entered the United States lawfully with a valid work permit."

This is the third controversy in Texas within just three months involving excessive enforcement by ICE agents.

Last July in Houston, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national heading to a construction site with other workers, lost his life to an ICE shooting, and earlier this month in Alamo, two teenagers filming an immigration raid were reportedly assaulted by ICE agents.

Local residents strongly protested, with about 100 people gathering in the area where the shooting occurred to hold a demonstration.

They held up signs reading "No one is safe" and "ICE Nazis" to express their opposition.

Yasiel Avila, a Mexican immigrant family background and a U.S. military veteran, told CNN, "I have lived in Austin my whole life, and I have never felt this betrayed," pointing out, "This is domestic terrorism."

Thirteen-year-old Jany Olvera, who participated in the protest, voiced frustration, saying, "We are not experiencing justice."

Hispanic voters have already been showing unease over aggressive ICE immigration crackdowns.

According to a Pew Research Center poll last July, 7 out of 10 Hispanic respondents evaluated the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies as "too harsh."

One-third of Hispanic voters who cast their ballots for President Trump in 2024 evaluated the Trump administration's policies as harmful to Hispanics.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.