Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA (TPUSA), responded vigorously on Thursday to the attorney representing a Venezuelan man shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Austin, Texas. He described the lawyer and her client as a “perfect match” after the attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, faced backlash over a now-deleted social media post that referenced the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kolvet, who is also the executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” expressed support for the federal immigration officers involved in the incident while criticizing Lincoln-Goldfinch and her client, 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. He remarked, “We stand with our brave men and women of ICE who are defending American sovereignty and keeping American citizens safe.” He added that it wasn’t surprising that someone in Garces Perez’s position—especially with a deportation notice prior to a high-speed chase—might attract a lawyer like Lincoln-Goldfinch.
Earlier this week, Lincoln-Goldfinch drew criticism after her deleted post resurfaced, where she questioned how anyone could resist being shot while evoking Kirk. She asked, “How do you resist getting shot in the neck? Does Charlie Kirk have any advice on that?” In a later statement, she explained that her office believed the post might be misunderstood, which led to its removal.
Meanwhile, new evidence emerged regarding the ICE operation that resulted in Garces Perez being shot. Surveillance footage published Wednesday showed federal law enforcement vehicles pursuing his car with emergency lights and sirens activated before the shooting incident. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that the footage was genuine.
Lincoln-Goldfinch disputed the government’s account, claiming that Garces Perez was delivering food as a DoorDash driver when he was struck by an unmarked vehicle, asserting he was unaware of the pursuit at first. She has also contested the DHS’s claims about his immigration status. The DHS stated that Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national, had a final deportation order and was subject to a targeted vehicle stop, asserting his work authorization had expired and that they contested claims about his treatment following the incident.
DHS insisted, “No amount of smears and false narratives will slow down ICE from doing its job to arrest illegal aliens from our communities.”
As the situation unfolded, the dispute also reached federal court. Lincoln-Goldfinch’s firm filed a lawsuit to halt Garces Perez’s immediate removal, and a federal judge ruled that he could remain in the country to attend a hearing on September 30.
Investigations regarding the shooting are ongoing. Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the FBI, is leading the federal inquiry, while local authorities in Austin are reviewing additional evidence relating to the encounter.
