What Has DHS And ICE Said About The Shooting?
In a statement shared with various outlets, an ICE spokesperson said the traffic stop was carried out as part of a “targeted enforcement” operation. The statement alleged that Salgado Araujo “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense.” In a press conference on Wednesday, Araujo’s sons said they believed the father tried to get away from the stop because he was being chased by unmarked vehicles.
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What Do We Know About The Passengers?
The Times report identified the three other passengers in the van as Salgado Araujo’s brother Victor Hugo Salgado Araujo, Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, and Daniel Tirado Pantoja. According to the Texas Tribune, all three are currently being held in the Montgomery ICE Processing Center in Conroe, Texas.
Tangent
On Thursday, the Mexican government said it plans to request criminal charges over the deaths of 17 Mexicans either in ICE custody or during enforcement operations. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government has decided to escalate the matter beyond traditional diplomatic channels after Salgado Araujo’s death, which she described as “not only sad and regrettable, but also appears to have been targeted.” The request for criminal charges will be sent to state prosecutors’ offices and the U.S. Department of Justice.
further reading
Immigrant killed by ICE was not target of operation, Congress member says (Texas Tribune)
Man Killed by Federal Agent in Houston Was Not the Target of ICE Search (New York Times)