Hundreds Attend Wake for Mexican Immigrant Killed by ICE in Houston
A public wake for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old construction worker shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, drew hundreds of mourners and prompted calls for an investigation.
Hundreds of residents gathered at Forest Park Lawndale funeral complex in Houston’s East End on Thursday to pay respects to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant who was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a traffic stop on July 7. Attendees wore blue at the family’s request, and volunteers from nonprofit groups provided water and refreshments while police guarded the entrance.
Family members, including Salgado Araujo’s sons Ronaldo, 29, and Lorenzo, 27, stood beside the open coffin as mourners listened to ranchera music and the song “Amor Eterno.” The family asked that cameras and cell phones be prohibited to protect privacy.
“We will always remember you and demand an investigation into your death,” wrote University of Houston student Edgar Morales on a condolence card, adding that the community now fears for its safety.
“It was definitely very shocking to see,” said César Espinosa, executive director of immigrant-rights group FIEL, noting that the incident underscores broader concerns about immigration enforcement in the United States.
Salgado Araujo, who had lived in the United States for 35 years and led a construction crew, was not the intended target of the ICE operation, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Agents attempted to arrest him, and he was shot in the abdomen. The agency later claimed he tried to run over agents and that the shooting was in self-defense, but it has not released supporting evidence.
The FBI obtained a search warrant for the van Salgado Araujo was driving, alleging the presence of small bags containing a white, crystal-like substance. The family’s lawyer said the substance was salt used by outdoor workers to combat heat. Attorney Ruby L. Powers, representing Salgado Araujo’s brother, who was arrested after the shooting, emphasized that a search warrant does not prove guilt and called for immediate testing of the material.
Local officials, including Houston’s chief prosecutor Sean Teare and the family’s representatives, have questioned the necessity of the FBI search, stating it does not change the facts surrounding the fatal shooting. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the state’s top law-enforcement unit would investigate the incident.
More than 30 immigration and workers-rights organizations have announced plans for a large march in Houston on Sunday to keep Salgado Araujo’s case in the public eye.