ICE Fatal Shootings: People Are Still Being Killed in the Streets
ICE Fatal Shootings Continue After the Minneapolis Crackdown
In the winter of 2026, it was hard to escape news about the vicious and sometimes deadly tactics of U.S. immigration officers. The killings of protestors Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January stunned the nation, as did a viral photo of a 5-year-old boy in a bunny hat and Spiderman backpack being detained with his father and flown to Texas.
It was a rare occasion when the Trump Administration seemed to bow to public opinion and at least give the appearance of moderating their tactics. In February, Border Czar Tom Homan announced the end of the Minneapolis surge.
Border Patrol leader Greg Bovino, the public face of the crackdown, was sent packing, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was replaced. The mainstream media moved on to other scandals.
Deadly ICE Enforcement Continued After Public Attention Moved On
But while the public’s attention has been distracted with the war with Iran, skyrocketing gas prices, and continued Trump Administration graft, deadly violence by federal Immigration officials has continued.
In fact, there were several deadly shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents prior to those in Minneapolis that have not received sufficient media attention. According to press reports, there have been at least six fatal shootings by immigration officers since Trump was sworn into his second term.
Many of them, like Renee Good, were shot while driving, but few have received the same attention as the white, middle-class Good and Pretti, whose shocking killings have been well-reported.
Four Fatal ICE Shootings That Received Less Public Attention
The Fatal Shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez in Texas
On March 15, 2025, 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez was shot and killed by an ICE officer during a traffic stop on San Padre Island in Texas. While DHS claimed that Martinez was driving aggressively towards officers, after reviewing video footage, NPR reported that Martinez’s car appeared to be moving slowly and to the left, as officers stood in front of it. A friend who was sitting in the front passenger at the time, reported that the car was barely moving and that Martinez was “panicky” because multiple officers were yelling out different directions to him.
Two Members of Congress demanded an independent investigation into the shooting, arguing that “DHS’s repeated lies and omissions about the shooting of Mr. Martinez reflect a troubling pattern in which official statements about the use of lethal force are later challenged by video footage, witness testimony, or subsequent investigations.” Martinez was a U.S. citizen who was born and raised in San Antonio.
The Fatal Shooting of Silverio Villegas González Near Chicago
On September 12, 2025, after dropping his child at daycare, 38-year-old Silverio Villegas González was pulled over by ICE agents in Franklin Park, a Chicago suburb. When he started to drive away, he was shot in the neck and killed by one of the officers. DHS officials claim the shooting came after González “seriously injured” an officer.
The New York Times reported, however, that video of the incident fails to show González hitting anyone and that the injured officer stated immediately afterwards his injuries were “nothing major.” Aside from traffic violations, González had no criminal record. He also appeared to be unarmed. He had lived in the Chicago area for 18 years.
The Fatal Shooting of Keith Porter Jr. in Los Angeles
On December 31, 2025, 43-year-old Keith Porter Jr, a U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by an off-duty ICE agent in Los Angeles. The government claims the officer fired defensively after Porter fired first, but according to family members, Porter was simply shooting into the air to celebrate New Year’s Eve. The officer was unhurt, while Porter left behind two grown daughters.
The Fatal Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston
Just this week, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Houston homebuilder 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was driving to a construction site with three co-workers when the father-of-three was fatally shot by an ICE officer.
Ronaldo Salgado learned of his father’s fate when he recognized his voice in a video posted on social media “crying for help as he lay on the street bleeding out,” according to CNN. His father had no criminal record and, at the time of his death, had been putting together an application for legal residency.
Before his death, Salgado Araujo had spent 35 years building homes in the Houston area, including his own.
Disputed DHS Accounts and Calls for Independent Investigation
DHS has claimed that Araujo had “weaponized his vehicle,” a claim his family finds incredulous. Given the repeated history of immigration officers’ description of events being contradicted by video evidence, we share the Araujo family’s skepticism.
We join those who have called for an independent investigation into the latest instance of the fatal shooting of a beloved community member at the hands of an ICE officer.
Another Fatal ICE Shooting Reported in Maine
As we go to press on this post, the news is reporting that ICE shot and killed a man in Biddeford, Maine, which has recently seen a surge in ICE activity. We keep the victim’s family in our thoughts and prayers and will share details here when they are available.