Members of Congress Hold Hearing in Austin to Investigate ICE Shootings Across Texas

Image October 15, 2026 Press Release Casar, Thompson, Jayapal, Democratic Members of Congress demand accountability and change with ICE AUSTIN, TEXAS – On Thursday, October 15th, Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), alongside Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, and five other members of Congress held a field hearing to investigate the numerous ICE shootings across Texas, including the recent shooting of Wilber Garcés-Pérez. Representatives Greg Casar, Bennie G. Thompson, and Pramila Jayapal were joined by Representatives Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Lou Correa (CA-46), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), and Al Green (TX-09). The Members of Congress were joined by witnesses Ms. Rachel Reyes, mother of Ruben Ray Martinez, Kristin Etter, Director of Policy & Legal Services at the Texas Immigration Law Council, Carolina Rivera Nelson, Attorney at the ACLU of Texas, and Danny Woodward , Policy Attorney with Texas Civil Rights Project. “Texas has become the epicenter of Trump’s deadly deportation machine, so we brought Members of Congress from across the country to Austin to see it firsthand,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas). “ICE shot Wilber Garcés-Pérez, a DoorDash driver and a father, in the back then denied him medical care. They even tried to deport him so he could never speak the truth. Donald Trump's ICE isn't going after the worst of the worst — it's gone after people like Wilber, who have no criminal record. We will fight to hold the perpetrators in this administration accountable, and not provide another dime in funding to this rogue agency." “Democrats came to Austin today to demand justice and accountability for Wilber Garcés-Pérez and the others that have been shot by immigration agents in Texas. If Republicans refuse to conduct any oversight of the Trump administration, we must do so in their place,” added Congressman Bennie G. Thompson. “What we heard today was powerful and informative. Make no mistake: we will do everything possible to hold this administration accountable for what it is doing. This violence, lawlessness, and chaos in our communities must end.” “Twenty-five days ago, ICE agents in Austin, Texas shot Wilber Garcés-Pérez in the back. Instead of taking him to the hospital, they locked him up in a detention center and did not allow him to have surgery for 11 days. This is not the most recent shooting by ICE, and is one of nearly a dozen that we know of since Trump returned to office,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal . “ICE is a lawless, rogue agency that is causing generational trauma in communities across the country. House Democrats today are doing the oversight work that Republicans refuse to do — and we will continue to do everything possible to protect our communities from Trump’s mass deportation agenda.” "The shooting and medical neglect of Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez follows the many other cases that have become synonymous with cities being swarmed with masked, armed federal agents and the nation’s dangerous descent into tyranny: Renée Nicole Good, Alex Pretti, Johan Sebastian Guerrero, and too many others. No life is meaningless, and each individual assaulted or killed by our immigration system is someone's child, someone's sibling, someone's parent, and they all still belong here with us,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. “Unless you’re Native American, we all come from somewhere else. The Trump immigration system is structured and staffed as a deportation machine that violates individuals' constitutional rights. Democrats will fight for an immigration system that honors our history and sets forth a reasonable, compassionate path to citizenship." “President Trump got elected on the promise to go after the “worst of the worst.” Instead, since January, federal immigration agents have detained over 500 U.S. citizens and killed at least three. ICE is arresting people with no criminal record to hit political quotas while cutting training and lowering hiring standards,” said Congressman Lou Correa. “There is an urgent need for major reforms to keep our communities safe from violence. DHS was created to defend Americans against foreign terrorists. Instead, we have permanent residents and American citizens being shot by ICE agents in our streets.” "In Texas, we have witnessed at least three ICE shootings since this administration began its aggressive, unprecedented enforcement actions,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher .  “People across our community in Houston are still reeling from the shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.  Just last weekend, ICE agents ran over and gravely injured Miguel Parra Hernandez while pursuing someone else. ICE's reckless and brutal actions are not only unprecedented, they're unconstitutional.  They are making us less safe, creating fear and danger for immigrants and citizens alike.  This Republican-led Congress that has enabled this lawlessness has utterly failed Wilber Garcés-Pérez, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Ruben Ray Martinez, and so many others.  All Americans deserve better from our government, and that is why I joined Congressman Casar, Ranking Member Thompson, Congresswoman Jayapal, and my Democratic colleagues in Austin today to hear from some of the many people impacted, learn more, and demonstrate our commitment to bringing justice, accountability, and change.” “Trump promised to go after the worst of the worst. But judging by what we’re seeing across Texas and the country, that sounds more like ICE’s recruitment strategy. People are being shot, injured, and killed by federal agents operating without basic law enforcement standards or accountability,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. “In Houston, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed on his way to work. One hundred days later, his family still has no answers. Instead they’ve been met with stonewalling and excuses. These families deserve the truth and justice, and we will not stop fighting until they get both. “No President is above the law, and no federal agency should be allowed to serve as judge, jury, prosecutor, and executioner while operating with impunity,” said Congressman Al Green . “Under President Trump, ICE has been emboldened to use deadly force against people in our communities while the administration evades transparency and accountability, engaging in a cover-up. These shootings are not isolated incidents. They are part of a deeply troubling pattern of conduct that threatens the constitutional rights and lives of people in this country.” The Members of Congress’ full remarks can be found here . ### Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 119th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Issues : Immigrant Rights