Jose Castro-Rivera, a 24-year-old Honduran man, died after being run over on a Virginia highway while trying to escape from an operation by ICE agents. The incident occurred amid a series of recent raids that have intensified the immigration agency's presence in different areas of the country.

According to The Guardian, Castro-Rivera was part of a group of four people who were inside a vehicle detained by ICE agents as part of an "intelligence-based operation."

The escape that ended in tragedy

According to the same outlet, the incident occurred on Thursday, October 23, 2025, near Military Highway, in Norfolk, Virginia. ICE detailed that, during the operation, agents identified that the occupants of a vehicle were in the country illegally and began arrest procedures.

Minutes after the detention process began, according to the official report, Jose "strongly resisted" and fled on foot toward the highway. While fleeing, he tried to cross Interstate 264, where he was struck by a pickup truck.

According to witnesses, the impact was fatal. ICE agents attempted to revive him at the scene by providing CPR, but were unable to save his life. The Virginia State Police (VSP) stated that its officers did not participate in the chase and that their intervention was limited to investigating the accident as a traffic incident, with no operational responsibility for the raid.

The operation and the doubts surrounding the procedure

The immigration agency has not released details about the other three occupants of the vehicle or the specific reason for the intervention. According to The Guardian, this case is part of a recent ICE strategy to carry out "targeted and intelligence-driven" arrests, although it has not been explained whether the Norfolk operation was part of a larger raid.

So far, it has not been revealed whether Castro-Rivera had an immigration record or any open legal proceedings.

Authority Reaction and What's Next

In a statement cited by WTKR News 3,ICE lamented the death of the Honduran immigrant and stated that “the individual put his own safety and that of the public at risk by fleeing onto an active highway.” The agency indicated that it will collaborate with local authorities in the investigation, although it defended the legality of the operation and the actions of its agents.

Meanwhile, migrant advocacy organizations in Virginia have demanded transparency regarding the protocols used and have asked for a review of the detention policies that, they say, “put lives in danger.”

As the investigation progresses, the case of Jose Castro-Rivera could become a turning point in the debate over the use of force and immigration proceedings in the United States, especially in a year marked by an increase in deaths in custody or during interactions with ICE.