Protests continue in Houston over ICE killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo | News
Hundreds Gather in Houston to Demand Justice for Shooting Victim
HOUSTON (AP) — Hundreds of protesters rallied in Houston on Sunday to demand justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent earlier this month.
Demonstrators marched from Ervan Chew Park and briefly closed off a bridge on Dunlavy Street, holding banners reading “Abolish ICE” and “Justice for Lorenzo,” according to local media reports and social media videos.
Salgado Araujo was fatally shot on July 7 while driving a construction crew to a job site in Houston. His death has drawn scrutiny amid ongoing criticism of the aggressive immigration enforcement policies under President Donald Trump.
The Associated Press reports that interactions with ICE and other immigration agents have resulted in at least 10 deaths since the beginning of Trump’s second term in January last year, including two fatalities in Maine and Florida in the days following Salgado Araujo’s death.
ICE claimed that Salgado Araujo attempted to ram a vehicle into an agent, leading to the shooting, which the agency characterized as self-defense. However, this account has been challenged by witnesses. A statement from the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas did not support ICE’s narrative, notably omitting mention of any collision between Salgado Araujo’s van and a law enforcement vehicle, or any indication that the officer felt threatened.
During the protest, an activist representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation called for additional demonstrations, urging attendees to take action against ICE and the Trump administration. “We cannot just sit here and let ICE hunt and murder more of our daughters, our brothers, our uncles. If we want justice, we have to demand it,” the activist stated, announcing plans for a “shutdown” of Houston on Friday.
This rally in Houston followed similar protests across the country on Saturday, including one in Portland, Maine, where Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian man, was shot during a traffic stop. Duran Guerrero’s family expressed their grief, highlighting that he had “many dreams to fulfill.”
In response to these incidents, Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations into ICE’s hiring practices, particularly in light of allegations that the officer involved in Duran Guerrero’s death had a troubling history, including mental health issues and prior allegations of violent behavior.
Bennie Thompson, a congressman from Mississippi and the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security, stated, “The officer’s alleged violent history directly calls into question the supposed vetting and training ICE does of its recruits.”
Following these events, Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s top immigration enforcement official, announced a temporary pause on traffic stops by ICE. On Sunday, he also indicated that at least one agent would now be required to wear a body camera during such stops, stating, “I want the American people to see what the officers saw when they took that action.”
Despite the outcry, President Trump has urged continued traffic stops, asserting their importance in crime fighting in a post on his Truth Social platform. “We must be strong, tough, and smart,” he wrote. “Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands.”
Additionally, reports indicate that at least 13 individuals have been injured in incidents related to immigration enforcement since the crackdown began, while at least 52 people have died while in ICE custody.
As of January 2026, ICE has deported over 540,000 individuals from the United States.
