HOUSTON – Two of the three men who witnessed the shooting death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, shot and killed by federal immigration agents on Canal Street in July are now released from custody.
The ruling comes as new data sheds light on Houston Police Department’s interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement — and as the estimated cost of mass deportation efforts reaches into the billions for area taxpayers.
Witnesses ordered released
Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by federal immigration agents on Canal Street in July. Three men were riding with him at the time: his brother, Victor Salgado Araujo; Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego; and Daniel Tirado Pantoja.
Rojas Pliego has already been released from immigration custody. Now, U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett ordered Tirado Pantoja’s release as well.
Immigration attorney Raed Gonzalez described his client’s background.
“His common law wife is a legal permanent resident, he has three U.S. citizen children, living in the United States since 1996, no criminal record, just hard working taxpayer, undocumented,” Gonzalez said.
HPD’s first immigration report
As those cases play out in federal court, new numbers are painting a clearer picture of HPD’s interactions with ICE.
HPD’s first quarterly immigration report, presented to City Council, shows 103 immigration-related NCIC hits — all of which led to contact with ICE. On average, those individuals were held for 39 minutes while officers determined next steps.
No chief, no answers: HPD’s first ICE contact report draws scrutiny without Diaz
According to the report, 59 people were released on scene, 19 were turned over to ICE, and 14 face new charges.
But the presentation drew sharp criticism from council members — in part because Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz was listed on the agenda and did not appear. HPD Division Manager Jim Mallard appeared in his place and left before the public could ask questions.
Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas, At-Large Position 4, voiced her frustration directly.
“My question to HPD is why do you have to hide — you know it is not going fine. Right now we are calling ICE on people that are calling crimes,” Salinas said.
Salinas added that the no-show sent the wrong message.
“It’s so disappointing, and I hope we see HPD apologize to the public for wasting their time today, and come back immediately and answer the questions that the public demands answers to,” Salinas said.
The cost to taxpayers
Beyond the courtrooms and council chambers, there is another number worth tracking: the estimated cost to taxpayers of the federal government’s mass deportation effort for the rest of the time Trump is in office — up to January 2029.
The Economic Policy Institute estimates Harris County taxpayers’ share of that federal spending exceeds $4.1 billion through the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. Adding Fort Bend, Galveston and Montgomery counties brings the regional estimate to an additional $1.8 billion.
Estimated costs by county (Source: Economic Policy Institute):
Harris County: $4.1 billion
Fort Bend County: $833 million
Montgomery County: $736 million
Galveston County: $270 million
Estimated cost per taxpayer: $2,894
That breaks down to an average estimated cost of $2,894 per taxpayer, according to the institute.
From the courts to City Hall to household budgets, immigration enforcement is having a growing impact across the Houston area.
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