By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-09-21 05:55:40 | Updated at 2026-09-22 08:00:53
1 day ago
Protests have erupted after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agent shot an illegal migrant in Austin, Texas.
At around 12.56pm CDT (5.56pm BST), Austin emergency services were notified an Ice officer had shot a man, later identified by his immigration lawyer as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan migrant.
As news of the shooting spread, hundreds of protesters assembled at the scene to rage in front of local law enforcement.
Some demonstrators were heard cursing at police officers while other held signs reading "Ice Nazi" and "Nobody is safe".
Social media video of the protest, several hours after the shooting, showed activists clashing with riot gear-clad Texas police officers as they attempted to disperse the crowd, taking several demonstrators into custody.
Although it was not immediately clear the migration status of Mr Perez, sources from the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News he was an illegal migrant with a final order of removal.
His immigration lawyer, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, has disputed this, telling local newspaper the Texas Tribune her client arrived legally.
Social media footage of the shooting shows a blue Toyota Corolla facing against a Ford SUV.
PICTURED: Texas police wearing gas masks seen taking a demonstrator into custody
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PICTURED: A blue Toyota Corolla, believed to belong to Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, on the scene of the shooting in Austin
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An Ice officer then exits the SUV and approaches the back passenger side of the Toyota before shots are heard ringing out.
Mr Perez has now been released from hospital into Ice custody, said Ms Lincoln-Goldfinch, adding that according to his wife, Elizdar, he had been delivering DoorDash in his vehicle before the shooting.
While Texas is largely Republican, Austin, the state's capital, is largely left-wing, in part driven by internal migration from coastal, more left-wing California.
Kirk Watson, the city's Democrat mayor, claimed Ice's presence on the streets "creates some fear in our city", adding that he was angry but "not surprised at all".
Hundreds of protesters assembled after the shooting at 12.56pm CDT
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Protesters were seen holding signs comparing Ice to Nazis in the protest
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Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said an "extremely preliminary" investigation suggested there was a "small foot pursuit" before the shooting.
She added that the Austin Police Department (APD)'s special investigation unit and the Texas Rangers were now cooperating to probe the incident.
"The City of Austin deserves answers on what occurred," she added.
Greg Casar, a Democratic Congressman whose district includes parts of Austin, said that while the shooting was "awful", it was "not a surprise" as he called for the immigration enforcement agency to completely leave the Texas capital.
Austin officials and protesters have said the city 'deserves answers'
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Austin's left-wing officials, including Congressman Greg Casar (centre) quickly condemned the shooting in a press conference
CITY OF AUSTIN
Mr Casar said: "Just a few weeks ago, as we saw the Ice surge come to Austin, especially to north central Austin, I and others, said that Ice needed to leave before someone was shot, like in Minneapolis or like in Corpus Christi or like in Chicago.
"And that day is here and so I think the message remains that for Austin to be safe, Ice should end its surge here in our community."
Under Donald Trump, Ice operations have become more widespread and visible throughout the country.
Protests erupted at the start of this year after two people were killed following encounters with Ice in Minneapolis.
Alex Pretti, 37, was shot dead after a scuffle with officers, while Renee Good was shot at the wheel of a car Ice says was heading their way.
