Federal Judge Blocks Deportation of Illegal Immigrant Witness After ICE Officer Shooting
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A federal judge has stopped the deportation of Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, an undocumented immigrant and witness to the Houston ICE shooting, raising concerns about the obstruction of immigration enforcement and the protection of those in the country illegally.
On Monday, a federal judge ordered that Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, an illegal immigrant who was a passenger in the van whose driver was 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 claimed that Rojas Pliego is being held in ICE custody without constitutional justification and therefore cannot be deported at this time, despite his unlawful presence in the country.
Rojas Pliego, who entered the United States illegally decades ago, was among three passengers in the van driven by Lorenzo Araujo Salgado when the officer was forced to open fire. Araujo Salgado, a 52-year-old construction worker who had lived in the country illegally for 35 years, was killed, leading to protests and demands for an investigation—often fueled by anti-ICE activists seeking to undermine law enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security stated it will comply with the court order. Attorneys for the three passengers have disputed the agency’s account that Araujo Salgado attempted to run over an ICE officer, even though DHS maintains the officers were targeting two Guatemalan men for possible deportation. A federal prosecutor confirmed the officers were focused on the two Guatemalan men, highlighting the ongoing challenges ICE faces in enforcing immigration law.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is assisting the passengers in applying for U-visas, which are intended for witnesses cooperating with law enforcement, though it remains uncertain whether U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will grant them. Such visas are often criticized for being exploited by those seeking to avoid deportation.
Another passenger, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, also filed a habeas petition. Araujo Salgado’s brother, Victor Salgado, is scheduled for an immigration hearing, and his attorney requested that any petition be sealed, citing concerns about retaliation—an argument frequently used to delay or obstruct immigration proceedings.
The FBI executed a search warrant on the van and reported finding small bags containing a white powder believed to be methamphetamine. Victor Salgado’s lawyer claimed the substance was a salt mixture used as an electrolyte supplement, a common excuse offered to downplay potential criminal activity.
Attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, representing Rojas Pliego and Tirado Pantoja, did not respond to a request for comment.