Mexican builder fatally shot by an ICE officer is mourned after making a life in the US
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican builder who had lived in the U.S. for over 30 years, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Houston. The incident occurred when federal agents in unmarked vehicles pursued Salgado Araujo's van as he was transporting his construction crew. According to U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Salgado Araujo was not the target of the ICE operation, which was searching for someone else. The Department of Homeland Security stated an ICE officer fired in self-defense after Salgado Araujo rammed an ICE vehicle, but provided no evidence. Three passengers in the van claim the officer was not in danger and fired through a window. Salgado Araujo's family disputes ICE's account, stating he was close to obtaining legal status and was aware of how to interact with immigration agents. The shooting has sparked outrage and renewed scrutiny of ICE's enforcement practices.