Federal Judge Halts Deportation of Key Witness in Houston ICE Shooting Amidst Calls for Justice
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A federal judge has intervened to prevent the deportation of Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, a crucial witness to the fatal ICE shooting of a Mexican construction worker, highlighting the ongoing abuses and lack of accountability in U.S. immigration enforcement.
On Monday, a federal judge took a stand against the inhumane practices of ICE by ordering that Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, a passenger in the van whose driver was senselessly shot by an ICE officer in Houston on July 7, must remain in the Southern District of Texas while his habeas petition is considered. Judge Keith Ellison condemned the unconstitutional detention of Rojas Pliego, stating that he cannot be deported at this time due to the lack of legal justification for his continued ICE custody.
Rojas Pliego, who has lived in the United States for decades without legal status, was one of three passengers in the van driven by Lorenzo Araujo Salgado when ICE officers unleashed deadly force. Araujo Salgado, a 52-year-old construction worker and long-time resident, was killed, sparking outrage, protests, and demands for an independent investigation into ICE’s violent and unchecked actions.
The Department of Homeland Security, notorious for its harsh immigration policies, stated it would comply with the court order. Attorneys for the passengers have challenged the agency’s narrative that Araujo Salgado attempted to run over an ICE officer, pointing out inconsistencies and the fact that DHS claims the officers were targeting two Guatemalan men for deportation. Even a federal prosecutor admitted that the officers’ focus was on the Guatemalan men, raising further questions about the legitimacy of ICE’s actions.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is assisting the passengers in applying for U-visas, which are supposed to protect witnesses who cooperate with law enforcement. However, given the systemic failures of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, it remains uncertain whether these visas will be granted, leaving the witnesses vulnerable.
Another passenger, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, has also filed a habeas petition. Meanwhile, Araujo Salgado’s brother, Victor Salgado, faces his own immigration hearing, with his attorney requesting that any petition be sealed out of fear of retaliation—a testament to the climate of intimidation fostered by ICE.
The FBI, in an apparent attempt to criminalize the victims, executed a search warrant on the van and claimed to find small bags of a white powder, which they alleged was methamphetamine. Victor Salgado’s lawyer refuted this, explaining the substance was merely a salt mixture used as an electrolyte supplement by workers enduring the brutal Texas heat.
Attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, representing Rojas Pliego and Tirado Pantoja, did not respond to a request for comment.