Who is Lorenzo Salgado Araujo? ICE kills Mexican man who has lived in U.S. for 35 years, sparking outrage in Texas
caused widespread indignation in society Texas An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a mexican national He has lived in the United States for decades. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s son said he was working to gain legal status in the United States, the Associated Press reported.
The incident occurred when federal officers stopped Lorenzo’s vehicle during an immigration enforcement operation. His son, Ronaldo Salgado, said his father may have worried that people in unmarked vehicles would come and steal the tools he had used for 35 years to build homes just to send his three American sons to college.
“He should not have died. He should not have been reduced to the headlines of a Mexican man shot dead by ICE. He should have lived a quiet life like Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a husband, a father who created jobs for dozens of men who also longed for the American dream,” Salgado said at a news conference.
What we know about the shooting
The shooting occurred on Tuesday, July 7, in Magnolia Park. The neighborhood has been the center of Houston’s Mexican-American community for a century. Hundreds of people marched nearby, chanting “ICE get out of the United States.” Houston” Wednesday evening, July 8th.
The Department of Homeland Security claims Lorenzo was shot after ignoring commands and trying to run over an officer who fired his weapon in self-defense. The department said ICE officers targeted him only because he was living in the country without legal permission. It added that his car hit a diesel motorcycle.
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Lorenzo was shot in the abdomen, according to Houston firefighters. He died in hospital.
Three other men appeared to be in custody as Lorenzo lay groaning on the ground, his son said.
Despite claims of self-defense, federal officials have not released video or images of the shooting or the vehicle. Lorenzo’s son joined civil rights groups and Democratic officials in urging federal authorities to release all footage and information related to the shooting.
Who is Lorenzo Salgado Araujo?
Democratic U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia said Lorenzo had no criminal convictions. Ronaldo said his father has already started applying for a work permit for him.
“We dotted every ‘I’, crossed every ‘T’, filled out every document, went to every appointment,” he said. “He’s about to get legal status.”
The son added that his father had a biometric scan and a fingerprint scan earlier this year and researched what to do if ICE pulled him over.
“If my dad saw an ICE sign or anything related to a law enforcement agency, my dad would comply,” his son said.
CNN reports that Lorenzo has been living the same life for 35 years—waking up at 5 a.m., loading his work truck, and driving to Houston to pick up construction workers.
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Ronaldo recalled that his mother was told something bad had happened to his father around 7am on Tuesday morning. He frantically searched for his father at his workplace, only to find it deserted. Then he saw a video.
“I recognized him, not by his appearance, but by the sound of him lying in the street calling for help,” he said.
Lorenzo met his wife in Mexico as a teenager. She even made him lunch before he left.
Protests break out
A large group of people marched through the streets of Houston on Wednesday night. Some waved Mexican flags or held banners that read “Abolish ICE,” while others held signs with Lorenzo’s face. Later, a ceremony was held to commemorate him and pray for him.
Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum said on Wednesday that the country was “preparing to take legal steps” over Lorenzo’s killing because “we cannot allow our brothers and sisters in the United States to be abused.”
