A Venezuelan migrant was left in serious condition after being shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Austin, Texas, according to local officials. The incident took place one afternoon in the northern part of the city, a fast-growing tech hub that has also become a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement.
Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel told the Spanish-language news agency EFE that the shooting occurred when an ICE agent, driving an unmarked black pickup truck, approached the vehicle carrying the migrant, identified only by his last name, Garcés. During that encounter, the agent fired his weapon, critically injuring Garcés.
ICE, the federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and detaining or deporting undocumented immigrants, has ramped up operations across the country in recent months, often relying on unmarked vehicles during arrests—a practice that has drawn criticism from local leaders and immigrant advocacy groups who say it creates confusion and increases the risk of violent confrontations.
Details about what led to the shooting, the extent of Garcés’s injuries, and whether the agent involved has faced any review remain unclear. Local authorities and immigrant rights organizations are expected to seek further information about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
For more details, read the original report from El Diario de Hoy.
Source: Agente de ICE le dispara y hiere gravemente a migrante venezolano en Texas (El Diario de Hoy).
Image: – HOGRE -, PDM 1.0 (via Openverse).