HOUSTON \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
The ruling comes as new data sheds light on Houston Police Department\u2019s interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement \u2014 and as the estimated cost of mass deportation efforts reaches into the billions for area taxpayers.<\/p>\n
Witnesses ordered released<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Rojas Pliego has already been released from immigration custody. Now, U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett ordered Tirado Pantoja\u2019s release as well.<\/p>\n
Immigration attorney Raed Gonzalez described his client\u2019s background.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis 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,\u201d Gonzalez said.<\/p>\n
HPD\u2019s first immigration report<\/p>\n
As those cases play out in federal court, new numbers are painting a clearer picture of HPD\u2019s interactions with ICE.<\/p>\n
HPD\u2019s first quarterly immigration report, presented to City Council, shows 103 immigration-related NCIC hits \u2014 all of which led to contact with ICE. On average, those individuals were held for 39 minutes while officers determined next steps.<\/p>\n
No chief, no answers: HPD\u2019s first ICE contact report draws scrutiny without Diaz<\/p>\n
According to the report, 59 people were released on scene, 19 were turned over to ICE, and 14 face new charges.<\/p>\n
But the presentation drew sharp criticism from council members \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas, At-Large Position 4, voiced her frustration directly.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy question to HPD is why do you have to hide \u2014 you know it is not going fine. Right now we are calling ICE on people that are calling crimes,\u201d Salinas said.<\/p>\n
Salinas added that the no-show sent the wrong message.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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,\u201d Salinas said.<\/p>\n
The cost to taxpayers<\/p>\n
Beyond the courtrooms and council chambers, there is another number worth tracking: the estimated cost to taxpayers of the federal government\u2019s mass deportation effort for the rest of the time Trump is in office — up to January 2029.<\/p>\n