The two sons of a man fatally shot by an immigration officer in Houston testified at a Congressional hearing on Friday, recounting the horror and confusion they experienced upon learning of their father’s death. They called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo lost his life on July 7 after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pursued his white work van through the streets, ultimately shooting him through the window in front of his coworkers, including his brother.
During the hearing with Democratic lawmakers, Salgado Araujo’s sons delivered poignant prepared statements. They described their father as a humble, hardworking family man who lived in the United States for 35 years without legal status and operated a home construction business. Notably, he had no prior legal troubles.
“There was no reason for anyone to know his name,” Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Jr. stated. “He worked tirelessly to provide for our family and put my brothers and me through college, teaching us that hard work yields good things.”
Following the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Salgado Araujo had rammed his van into an immigration vehicle while attempting to flee and purportedly “used a weapon on the vehicle” as part of an attempted attack against an ICE officer. The agency has also confirmed that the involved officers were not wearing body cameras during the incident.
Passengers Provide Alternative Accounts of the Incident
At least two individuals who were in the van have contested the government’s narrative. They report that when the officers opened fire, they were safely positioned alongside the vehicle and were not in danger. All three passengers, including Salgado Araujo’s brother Victor, were arrested and are currently in immigration custody. Victor’s account of the incident remains sealed due to a petition for his release.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare expressed concern during the hearing that the DHS has not responded to requests for information, including the identity of the officer who fired the fatal shots. Despite this, he mentioned that his office is making significant strides in the investigation, although he refrained from providing specific details or indicating when it might conclude.
Salgado Araujo’s sons voiced their distress over the lack of communication regarding their father’s death. They recalled that the day began like any other for him. He woke up early, shared a hearty breakfast with his wife, and left home to pick up his work crew. Their lives were turned upside down just hours later when Ronaldo Salgado received a call from his mother, leading him to the scene, where he struggled to gather information about the tragedy.
Amid the chaos, a disturbing Facebook video surfaced that captured their father’s screams for help. “The post brought back the horrific realization that my father had been shot,” Ronaldo recounted. After urgent appeals for answers, it was eventually confirmed that Lorenzo had died.
Democratic Representative Sylvia Garcia revealed that the congressional delegation reached out multiple times to the DHS and ICE concerning the shooting but received no answers. They extended invitations for officials to attend the hearing, which were declined. An email request for comments sent to DHS by The Associated Press went unanswered.
The FBI executed a search warrant on the van and alleged the discovery of small bags containing a white substance thought to be methamphetamine. However, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Jr. refuted these claims, labeling them as preposterous and asserting that the substance was merely an electrolyte mixture used by the crew to stay hydrated in intense heat. District Attorney Teare confirmed via social media that the tests indicated the substance contained no illegal drugs.
Demand for Justice Echoes at the Hearing
Salgado Araujo Jr. implored Congress to ensure justice is served, poignantly describing the pain his family is enduring. He vividly illustrated the agony of witnessing a loved one, “pinned to the ground in pain, desperately screaming for help.” He reiterated the emotional turmoil his family has faced since the tragic loss, stating, “The emotions you feel now are just a fraction of what we have been grappling with for the past 17 days.”
