Protests Erupt Over ICE Shooting Incident in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Around 100 individuals gathered at San Antonio City Hall to voice their disapproval of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This protest was partly in response to the shooting death of an undocumented immigrant in Houston earlier in the week, where authorities reported the individual was shot while attempting to flee from officers during a targeted enforcement operation.

Attending the rally, members of the Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and other progressive groups showcased posters stating “Justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.” Protesters used loudspeakers to chant and give speeches demanding the termination of ICE’s presence in San Antonio and across the nation. They denounced the shooting incident and urged for ICE to be completely dismantled.

Corey Rosen, who identified as a public school teacher, spoke passionately about Lorenzo Salgado-Araujo in front of a makeshift memorial. He emphasized Salgado’s long stay in the country, declaring, “He’s been here for 35 years, but honestly, duration shouldn’t matter. No one deserves this injustice.”

Government representatives shared with local media that Salgado had applied for a work permit earlier this year, claiming he entered the U.S. in 2005. His family maintained that he had resided in the country for many years.

Rosen criticized plans for a new ICE detention center planned for the city’s East Side, labeling it akin to a concentration camp. He rallied the crowd by stating, “This detention center will be right next to a school that has closed down. We need funding for education and jobs, not for racist deportations.”

Interestingly, the school in question, Essence Preparation Charter School, was ordered to close by the Texas Education Agency due to poor performance over its four years of operation. The closure was not linked to the ICE center’s upcoming opening.

Reports indicate that Salgado was involved in a shooting incident in Houston, where he allegedly attempted to run over a police officer while trying to escape during a focused immigration enforcement operation. Following the confrontation, ICE confirmed he was an illegal immigrant.

According to law enforcement, they had received reliable information leading to the surveillance of the target area. They noticed suspicious vehicles days prior. On the day of the incident, as officers initiated a traffic stop, Salgado allegedly rammed into an ICE vehicle, prompting officers to fire their weapons in self-defense.

ICE confirmed that Salgado was taken to a local hospital after the shooting but later died from his injuries. The Houston FBI office is currently investigating the incident as well as the assault on federal officers.

Following the shooting, multiple protests arose in Houston’s East End and Magnolia Park areas, with hundreds marching and demanding an end to immigration enforcement actions in their community.