Hundreds of protesters rallied in Houston, Texas, on Sunday to demand justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent earlier this month.
The demonstrators marched from Ervan Chew Park and briefly shut down a bridge on Dunlavy Street, holding signs reading "Abolish ICE" and "Justice for Lorenzo," according to local media and social media videos.
Salgado Araujo, 52, was killed on July 7 while driving his construction crew to a worksite. The incident has intensified scrutiny of President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown, which has seen at least 10 deaths in encounters with ICE agents since his second term began in January 2025, per the Associated Press.
ICE claimed the agent fired in self-defense after Salgado Araujo allegedly tried to ram his vehicle, but witnesses contradicted that account. A statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas did not mention any collision or that the officer feared for his life.
An activist from the Party for Socialism and Liberation called for further protests on Friday to "shut down" Houston, saying, "We need to show ICE, the Trump regime, and the entire country that the city of Houston is not to be messed with."
Similar protests occurred nationwide on Saturday, including in Portland, Maine, where Colombian Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, 26, was killed during a traffic stop on July 13. His family said he had "many dreams to fulfill."
Democratic lawmakers have demanded an investigation into ICE's hiring practices after reports emerged that the agent involved in Duran Guerrero's killing had a history of mental health issues and domestic violence. Rep. Bennie Thompson said this "directly call[s] into question the supposed vetting and training ICE does of its recruits."
In response, Trump regime immigration chief Tom Homan announced a "short pause" on traffic stops and a new requirement for at least one agent to wear a body camera during stops. However, Trump himself urged the agency to continue stops, calling them "one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools."
Beyond the deaths, at least 13 people have been wounded since the crackdown began, and at least 52 have died in ICE detention, according to Human Rights Watch. As of January 2026, ICE has deported over 540,000 people.
Source: www.aljazeera.com