AN AUSTIN, Texas delivery driver who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on Sunday is back behind bars at a federal detention center in Pearsall, Texas, after being released from the hospital with a bullet still lodged in his back, his attorney said Tuesday.
Incident and medical follow‑up
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, was making a DoorDash delivery when an unmarked ICE truck sideswiped his vehicle twice. An officer opened fire, striking Perez in the back. He was taken to a hospital, treated, and then returned to ICE custody with the projectile still inside his spine. Perez complained of worsening pain on Monday, prompting a second hospital visit around 5 p.m. He was again transferred to ICE custody near midnight.
His attorney, Kate Lincoln‑Goldfinch, posted a video stating that Perez is “still in a lot of pain” and that he has not received pain medication. Court filings reveal that Perez was forced to sleep on a cement floor at a temporary ICE processing center before being moved at 4 a.m. Monday to the Pearsall detention facility.
Legal actions and court orders
A federal judge has ordered Perez to appear in person at a hearing on Sept. 30 in San Antonio, following a lawsuit that seeks to halt his removal from the United States. The lawsuit also alleges that Perez was interrogated without counsel present.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D‑TX) criticized the shooting, noting that it occurred amid a surge in ICE enforcement during President Trump’s second term. Castro announced plans to visit Perez on Wednesday to “check on his condition and demand his release.”
ICE and DHS response
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said it is investigating the shooting of an illegal immigrant who “had a final order of removal.” In a social‑media post responding to Rep. Greg Casar’s claim that Austin would be safer without ICE, the agency called the statement “ludicrous” and reaffirmed that “no amount of smears and false narratives will slow down ICE from doing its job by removing dangerous illegal aliens from our communities.”
President Trump has repeatedly emphasized the importance of strong immigration enforcement to protect American families and uphold the rule of law. The administration’s stance aligns with ICE’s continued effort to detain and remove individuals who have been ordered removed, even when medical complications arise.
Community reaction
Protests erupted outside the Texas Capitol on Monday night, with demonstrators demanding accountability for the shooting. Critics, including several Democratic lawmakers, have labeled the incident a “violent encounter” and called for greater oversight of ICE operations.
ICE officials, however, maintain that the use of force was justified under existing protocols for confronting individuals who resist detention. The agency has not released details about what specifically prompted the officer to fire.
What’s next?
Perez remains in federal custody while his legal team pursues the restraining order and prepares for the upcoming hearing. The case highlights the ongoing tension between federal immigration enforcement and local communities in Texas, a state that continues to be a focal point for the nation’s immigration debate.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
