Regarding “ICE lies. And now they’ve killed a Houstonian. | Editorial,” (July 8): As an American citizen and resident of Houston for over 50 years, it never ceases to amaze me how often the Houston Chronicle editorial board takes the side of immigrants who are here illegally. What happened to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was indeed tragic. He also literally had decades to legalize his status with our government.
His death is another reason why both the border and the immigration laws need to be tightened up a lot, particularly after the Biden administration. Is the Chronicle going to defend the latter, too? The answer is “probably so” since the board and the Democratic Party seem to have never seen an undocumented immigrant they didn’t like.
I am among the many Houstonians who seek justice for the victim, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. We can demonstrate in the streets and write to Congress about our outrage and grief. I think there is a better way to honor Salgado, but first, let’s follow a trail back to the perpetrator of this type of killing.
In February 2024, Congress had a bipartisan immigration bill under consideration; however, President Donald Trump used his power to warn that any Republican voting for the bill would incur his wrath. President Joe Biden was never going to get credit for solving the immigration system problem. The bill failed. That bill provided for a streamlined and compassionate way to deal with our immigrant population and help countries from which they came. If it had passed, there would never have been any need for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to shoot and kill ordinary people. Trump is not up for election, but key people who have exhibited deep fealty to him and his raw agenda are up for election this fall.
The best way we can honor Salgado and his grieving family is by voting against those candidates who have exhibited fealty to Trump’s agenda. Here, I am thinking at least about those running for governor and Senate. Let’s make it clear that if you think you are going to support political agendas that lead to the needless killing of Houstonians, you will not be representing Texas. We care about each other.
These are the kind of people we should want in our country. They are not the “worst of the worst.” We are told the ICE officers who stopped Salgado’s van arrived in two unmarked cars. Who will hold them accountable? Who will stop these murders within our borders? Those who hold power in Congress will do nothing.
Our Texas public schools are required to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom. One of those commandments says, “Thou shalt not kill.” If ICE lived by that command, Salgado would be alive today. His death was senseless, the taking of a good, family man’s life. We should all be outraged. I know I am.
I am saddened and angered by the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE agents as he was driving his white van to work on building homes. He was a good, hardworking man who had been in the U.S. for some 35 years. He had never been charged with a crime. He had put his three sons through college.
Salgado was killed by ICE agents during a “targeted enforcement operation” yet he wasn’t the target. To start with, police should never fire their guns at a moving vehicle. They don’t know who or how many people are in the vehicle. Innocent people could easily be wounded or killed. In my opinion, ICE should be shut down. They have lost the trust of the people. This deadly incident should be thoroughly and openly investigated.
Part of the blame goes to the Trump administration, which ordered the ICE agents to make 3,000 arrests per day. I urge everyone to speak out on this issue. You can make a difference.