The city of Houston will not open an independent investigation into the death of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araújo, who died after being shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during an operation in Magnolia Park. The decision was confirmed by Mayor John Whitmire, who maintained that municipal authorities lack jurisdiction to investigate actions of federal agents.

The announcement occurs while family members, legislators and immigrant rights organizations maintain pressure for the case to be clarified through an impartial and transparent investigation, different from that currently carried out by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Whitmire described the event as a tragedy and reiterated that he supports the demand to know precisely the circumstances surrounding the operation. However, he explained that the Houston Police Department was not involved in the incident and therefore does not have the power to lead a parallel investigation. “I support the call of the family and the community for an exhaustive, transparent and credible investigation,” said the mayor, while indicating that he maintains constant communication with federal authorities and with representatives of Texas to follow up on the case.

Family and activists question the official version

According to the version released by the DHS, ICE agents were trying to detain Salgado Araújo for alleged immigration violations when the driver ignored the officers' orders and used his vehicle to try to hit them. The agency maintains that the agent fired in self-defense.

The family of the Mexican worker rejects this explanation and affirms that the authorities did not clearly identify themselves before intervening. According to the testimony of Ronaldo Salgado, the victim's son, his father may have thought he was being followed by unknown people because the vehicles involved did not have visible identification.

Relatives also reported that they learned about what happened through publications on social networks before receiving official information. Ronaldo claimed to have recognized his father's voice in a video posted on Facebook, while the authorities had not yet confirmed that he had been taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Organizations such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) have questioned the lack of transparency of the process and requested the release of body camera recordings, as well as all evidence collected during the investigation.

Pressure grows for independent investigation

The death of Lorenzo Salgado Araújo sparked demonstrations in Houston and revived the debate over the use of force by federal immigration agents during arrest operations. The leader of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Adriano Espaillat, stated that the family deserves to know the whole truth about what happened and called for accountability if it is determined that there was improper use of force.

Along the same lines, Congresswoman Sylvia García criticized the fact that the federal government publicly disseminated its version of the events before formally notifying the relatives of the deceased.

While the federal investigation continues, activists and representatives of civil organizations insist that the only way to regain public trust will be through an independent process that allows all the evidence to be reviewed and clarify whether the agents' actions complied with established protocols.