ICE Has Fatally Shot 2 People in Texas Since 2025
ICE agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Houston man from Mexico, on July 8, 2026, after agents attempted to pull over his vehicle. ICE says Salgado Araujo tried to evade arrest and run over a federal officer. Public records show he had no criminal record in Texas.
The shooting is the second fatal shooting of a migrant by ICE agents in Texas since January 2025. The first was 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez, killed in South Padre Island in 2025. Local Houston leaders have called for an independent investigation, citing ICE’s history of contradictory accounts following fatal encounters.
16 Deaths Documented in Texas Since January 2025
The shooting is not an isolated event. A Texas Tribune analysis of federal detainee death notifications and media reports found at least 14 people have died in ICE custody in Texas since January 2025, separate from the two shootings.
16 people have died in Texas during ICE custody or enforcement operations since January 2025, according to the Texas Tribune’s ongoing tracker.
Texas holds more detained immigrants than any other state, operating 23 detention facilities. That concentration means Texas also accounts for a disproportionate share of deaths and incidents as the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign continues.
Mexico Escalated to Criminal Charges on July 9
Mexico’s government moved beyond diplomatic protests on July 9, 2026. Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco announced Mexico will request criminal charges over 17 Mexican nationals who died in ICE custody or during enforcement operations under the Trump administration.
The request will be submitted to state prosecutors’ offices and the U.S. Department of Justice. Mexico will also file civil lawsuits against companies that operate detention centers, targeting what Velasco called ongoing human rights violations.
“We are going to do everything in our power, because we cannot stand [by].”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, July 9, 2026, on the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo
Sheinbaum said Mexico decided to “move beyond diplomatic channels” specifically because of Salgado Araujo’s death, which she called “not only sad and regrettable, but also appears to have been targeted.” Mexico’s criminal referral carries no binding legal weight in U.S. courts, but the civil lawsuits against detention contractors could reach U.S. federal court.
No Independent Oversight Mechanism Exists for ICE Shootings
ICE investigates its own use-of-force incidents. No standing independent federal body reviews ICE shooting deaths. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General can investigate, but only if directed to do so. Houston officials have called for outside review of Salgado Araujo’s shooting, but as of July 9, no independent investigation has been announced.
The pattern of deaths, combined with contradictory agency accounts following prior shootings, is what prompted local leaders and Mexico’s government to push for external accountability.
What You Can Do Now
-
Call your U.S. senators at (202) 224-3121 and demand they request a DHS Inspector General investigation into the pattern of migrant deaths in Texas custody. Name the Texas Tribune’s count of 16 deaths since January 2025 and ask for a formal inquiry.
-
Contact the House Judiciary Committee at (202) 225-3951, which has oversight of immigration enforcement. Ask the committee to hold public hearings on ICE use-of-force policies and in-custody death records.
-
Contact Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office at (512) 463-2000 and ask him to direct the Texas Rangers to conduct an independent review of the Salgado Araujo shooting, since local Houston leaders have already called for outside investigation.
-
Find your local ICE Field Office director through the ICE field office locator and submit a written public records request for all use-of-force incident reports from Texas facilities since January 2025. Public records requests cost nothing and create a paper trail.
Sources
- From Alligator Alcatraz to Ecuador: A Cuban detainee’s journey through ICE’s Arizona facilities — Arizona Mirror (2026-07-10)
Texas Tribune: ICE Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Migrant Deaths in Texas Tracker PBS NewsHour: Mexico Seeks Criminal Charges Over 17 Deaths Linked to ICE ICE: Detainee Death Reporting and Notifications DHS OIG: Office of Inspector General Oversight Authority Over ICE
.”, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, July 9, 2026, PBS NewsHour/AP]