From The Atlantic · Nick Miroff · · 2m
ICE officer in Austin wasn't wearing a body cam
A Venezuelan man was shot by an ICE officer who wasn't recording, raising questions about accountability in rapid agency expansion.
In brief
A Venezuelan man was shot by an ICE officer who wasn't recording, raising questions about accountability in rapid agency expansion. Body cameras are now required for ICE arrests, but enforcement gaps and rapid hiring of undertrained officers continue to create dangerous situations. Originally reported by The Atlantic.
ICE officer shot man without recording
An ICE officer who was not wearing a body camera shot Venezuelan immigrant Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in Austin last weekend, leaving him with a bullet lodged in his upper torso.
Officer was a recent hire
The officer was hired last year but previously worked for another federal law-enforcement agency. He had not been publicly identified as of reporting.
Body cameras now required after deaths
ICE rushed to distribute body cameras after fatal shootings in July of a Mexican contractor in Texas and a Colombian delivery driver in Maine. Officers must activate cameras before enforcement activity.
Partner's camera captured the stop
The officer's partner was driving a separate vehicle with an active body camera. That footage recorded the initial stop when Garcés Pérez drove away and nearly struck one officer.
Shot in the back during second attempt
When Garcés Pérez tried to drive away again, the officer without a camera pulled his gun and fired, striking him in the back. A bystander video shows the aftermath.
Victim released from hospital too soon
Garcés Pérez was discharged after four hours and forced to sleep on a detention center floor. He later reported left-side paralysis and was moved back to a hospital.
“I have not received the medical attention that I require”
Legal entry, deportation order error
Garcés Pérez entered legally in 2024 through the CBP One asylum program. His attorney says his deportation order resulted from court documents sent to the wrong address.
Trump's hiring spree raises concerns
The Trump administration hired 10,000 new deportation officers last year. Veteran ICE officers report concerns about qualifications, especially those in a fast-track program with half the training hours.
Deadly force rules being ignored
ICE policy prohibits deadly force against fleeing suspects unless there's imminent risk to officers or the public. The inspector general is investigating this shooting and the Maine killing.
In short
Body cameras are now required for ICE arrests, but enforcement gaps and rapid hiring of undertrained officers continue to create dangerous situations.
