Valdelamar says ICE "can never be reformed"
Jesse ValdelamarPresident of La Frontera Unidad, speaking at a rally at the Texas Capitol
Jesse Valdelamar, president of La Frontera Unidad, told a rally at the Texas Capitol that ICE cannot be reformed and said any investigation ICE conducts of itself cannot be trusted. Fellow organizer Selena Jurado called for Garces Perez's release, prosecution of the officer who shot him, and an independent investigation.
“Not one agency that fills the back of my people with bullets can ever be reformed.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should DHS lead the investigation of the ICE shooting of a delivery driver in Austin?
On September 20, 2026, according to Austin officials, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver, in North Austin, Texas. DHS said Homeland Security Investigations, with FBI assistance, would lead the investigation and described him as an “illegal alien” with a final order of removal who is in federal custody pending removal. His attorney disputes that he entered illegally and says he has a valid work permit. Austin's mayor, Democratic members of Congress and the League of United Latin American Citizens question DHS's and ICE's credibility and have called for an independent investigation. Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, repeated DHS's description of the man. On September 29, federal prosecutors charged him with assaulting and resisting a federal officer, and the U.S. Attorney's Office said ICE's Homeland Security Investigations is investigating that case.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The Austin American-Statesman's report on a roughly 175-person protest at the Texas Capitol on September 21, organized by La Frontera Unidad, demanding Garces Perez's release, prosecution of the officer who shot him, and an independent investigation. It also reports a new statement from attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch that Garces Perez's condition worsened in ICE custody.
Before the quotation
The rally followed Garces Perez's own account of the shooting given earlier that day.
After the quotation
Selena Jurado, also with La Frontera Unidad, outlined three demands: Garces Perez's release, prosecution of the officer who shot him, and an independent investigation.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Valdelamar directly rejects DHS/ICE's capacity to investigate itself, condemning the agency's leading role rather than merely disputing how the shooting has been characterized.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
More from this case
Read the full caseAustin Council Member Vanessa Fuentes says local law enforcement should join the ICE shooting investigation
“ICE cannot investigate itself, and so it’s important that we have our local law enforcement agency involved in that investigation”Read statement
Travis County DA Garza says the federal government has not shared evidence with Austin police on the ICE shooting
“So far, the information has been flowing from the Austin Police Department to federal law enforcement officials, and as we sit here today, three days away from this shooting, it is incredibly important that the information start to flow both ways To my knowledge, at this point, the federal government has not shared any evidence with the Austin Police Department, and importantly, has not responded to a request from the Austin Police Department to be able to participate in or be allowed to interview the ICE agent who discharged his weapon here in Travis County this past Sunday”Read statement
Castro calls for an independent investigation of the Austin ICE shooting
“There must be an independent investigation, and the ICE officers who shot Wilber in the back should be held accountable.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Valdelamar says ICE "can never be reformed"". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1440-jesse-valdelamar-president-of-la-frontera-unidad-told