{"id":174333,"date":"2026-02-21T14:41:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T14:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/174333\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T14:41:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T14:41:08","slug":"u-s-rep-joaquin-castro-calls-for-investigation-into-ice-shooting-of-san-antonio-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/174333\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro calls for investigation into ICE shooting of San Antonio man"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ICEICE shot and killed Ruben Ray Martinez of San Antonio during a traffic incident nearly a year ago. Credit: Mission Park Funerals and Chapel Cemetary<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said he will ask the Justice Department and appropriate congressional committees to investigate the fatal shooting of a San Antonio man by federal immigration agents nearly a year ago. <\/p>\n

During a Friday call with reporters, Castro questioned why the public is only now learning of the involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the March 15, 2025, shooting death of 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez<\/a>, a U.S. citizen. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very unusual that for almost a year they would not disclose that an ICE agent shot and killed this person,\u201d said Castro, who added that he\u2019ll also reach out to Martinez\u2019s family to offer support. <\/p>\n

The Congressman accused the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers of working in cahoots with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to orchestrate an \u201corganized coverup\u201d of the shooting. Although the Rangers said they\u2019re investigating the shooting, which took place on South Padre Island, Castro said he believes that\u2019s a stalling tactic. <\/p>\n

Although some South Texas media reported on Martinez\u2019s death last year, ICE\u2019s involvement only came to light after nonprofit watchdog group American Oversight publicly released a trove of documents related to federal immigration agents\u2019 use of force. <\/p>\n

In a statement Friday to the Texas Tribune<\/a>, Department of Homeland Security confirmed the shooting, accusing Martinez of \u201cintentionally\u201d running over an agent who was helping direct traffic at an accident site. The agent was taken to a hospital for a knee injury and later released, records show. <\/p>\n

Castro said he\u2019s not taking DHS\u2019s explanation at face value, though. He pointed to federal officials\u2019 attempts to spin the narrative after ICE agents shot Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Good.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not in normal times. I can\u2019t just trust what ICE says,\u201d Castro said. \u201cI need to get all the information.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

American Oversight Executive Director Chioma Chukwu on Friday told the Texas Tribune that the Trump administration has repeatedly misled the public about its immigration enforcement actions, adding that the lack of transparency around Martinez\u2019s death is concerning. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat they\u2019re telling the public is very different than what they\u2019re doing behind closed doors,\u201d Chukwu said. \u201cThe only reason why we\u2019re able to make these connections and really call into question the public statements that they\u2019re making to mislead the public is because we\u2019re able to get our hands on these documents. That should deeply concern everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

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