Protesters took to the streets Tuesday night in Houston’s Magnolia Park neighborhood after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a Mexican citizen who allegedly drove into an ICE vehicle.
Around 6:50 a.m., federal officers attempted to arrest Lorenzo Salgado Araujo when he allegedly refused multiple commands and tried to run over an immigration agent, according to an ICE spokesperson. It prompted an officer to fire his weapon in “self-defense.”
Emergency responders took Araujo to a hospital, where he later died.
Advocates, community members and county and city officials are now calling for an independent investigation into the shooting.
A group of about two dozen protesters gathered at the site of Araujo’s killing Tuesday night as storm clouds rumbled in the distance.
“Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here!” they chanted, as storm clouds rumbled in the distance. Passing cars on Canal Street honked in support.
Ronaldo Salgado, Araujo’s son, said Tuesday night on social media that his father was a “hardworking Mexican man” who was in the middle of obtaining his work permit legally.
Salgado said his father had been in the country for nearly 35 years and worked in construction to provide for his family.
“He was on his way to work, picking up his workers,” Salgado said. “My father did not deserve this.”
“This is very, very close to home, so I am here in support of these people because it’s not just,” said protester Adriana Tellez, who lives in the area where Araujo was shot. “These are not judges or executioners. So something like this is bound to happen when you give power, unlimited power, unrestrained power to people.”
Jack Terranova, who lives near the street where the shooting happened, said they saw the news about Araujo while doing laundry. They said it felt surreal that it happened so close to their home.
“You see (things like this) on the news and you think how awful this is,” Terranova said. “But then you could be walking down the street to a grocery store and someone gets murdered by people who are not protecting anyone, people who are invading our community.”
Protesters also blamed the Houston Police Department for what they characterized as complicity with ICE’s actions since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
“A community member was murdered this morning by ICE, with the help, of course, of HPD and the Houston mayor,” said an organizer with the group Contra Gentrificación, María, who declined to share her last name. “We’ve been asking for weeks and months not to collaborate with ICE, and today we’re witnessing the murder of another human being. When will you guys and everyone get tired of witnessing humans get murdered.”
Other groups including FIEL Houston and Alianza Latina Internacional will host more protests and vigils Wednesday evening.