The Department of Homeland Security said a federal agent fatally shot a Mexican national in Houston on Tuesday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
July 8 (UPI) — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent has fatally shot a Mexican national accused of attempting to run over a federal officer during a “targeted enforcement operation,” the Department of Homeland Security said.
The incident occurred at about 6:50 a.m. CDT Tuesday in Houston.
DHS said in a statement that agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop to arrest an undocumented immigrant, when the driver allegedly rammed an ICE vehicle.
The suspect allegedly refused multiple verbal commands and “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense,” DHS said.
The driver was struck by the gunfire and was transported to the hospital where he died of his injuries, the federal agency said.
The suspect has been identified as Salgado Araujo, whom DHS said was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.
The Office of the Inspector General for DHS is investigating the agent-involved shooting, while the FBI’s Houston field office is leading the investigation into the potential assault on a federal law enforcement agent.
DHS did not state why it was attempting to detain Araujo.
The incident comes amid President Donald Trump‘s aggressive immigration crackdown, which has attracted staunch criticism from immigrant-rights advocates and Democrats, in particular after federal agents killed at least two U.S. citizens protesting their actions in Minneapolis in January.
There have also been at least 21 people who have reportedly died in ICE custody so far this year, according to the National Immigration Project, though DHS currently reports 19.
Either figure puts the United States on track to surpass the 33 detainee deaths in 2025, which was a two-decade high.
Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas said the killing of Araujo was “deeply concerning” and that “the use of deadly force demands full scrutiny and transparency.”
“I’m calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into thee circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the prompt release of all available video and investigative findings,” she said in a statement.
“The public deserves a timely account of what happened, clear answers and accountability.”
