US officials say the man fatally shot by immigration agents during a traffic stop in Houston was mistakenly identified.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has admitted that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national who was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Houston, was not the intended target of the operation.
Salgado was stopped around 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday while driving to work with three co-workers. DHS initially said agents attempted to stop his vehicle as part of an operation to arrest an undocumented migrant. They claimed Salgado tried to evade arrest by ramming an ICE vehicle, prompting an officer to open fire in self-defence.
However, in a new statement released on Thursday, the department acknowledged that agents had mistaken Salgado for another individual. Officials said officers had previously observed two white vans near a surveillance location. They initiated the stop after spotting “a white van with an individual who resembled the target.”
Salgado, who had lived and worked as a builder in the Houston area for about 30 years, had no criminal record, according to his family. Relatives said he was close to obtaining a legal work permit when he was killed.
The Aftermath
The incident has sparked fresh criticism of ICE’s enforcement tactics. The agents involved were not wearing body cameras, and authorities have not released any photos or video footage of the shooting. DHS said about half of its field officers currently have body cameras, with the remaining officers expected to receive them within the next 60 days.
The shooting triggered protests across Houston, while four Democratic lawmakers called for an independent investigation. They argued that the official explanation follows a familiar pattern used in previous fatal encounters involving federal agents.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s government announced plans to file criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of at least 14 Mexican citizens who died in ICE custody. Including three others killed during immigration enforcement operations. Mexican officials say they want the cases investigated as criminal matters.
The fatal shooting has intensified scrutiny of ICE operations. It has also renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability during immigration enforcement actions.