Arias-Bryant of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus calls for an end to ICE traffic stops after the Austin shooting
Jacqueline Arias-BryantExecutive Director of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus
Jacqueline Arias-Bryant, executive director of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, said Texans were paying the price of the administration's immigration crackdown. She asked Governor Abbott to demand a full, transparent investigation and an immediate end to ICE traffic stops.
“Another man has been shot during an ICE operation in Texas. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez is 28 years old and, according to his attorney, had a valid work permit and was making a DoorDash delivery when he was shot. Ruben Ray Martinez. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. And now Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. Texas is ground zero for this administration’s immigration crackdown, and hardworking Texans are paying the price. Governor Abbott, how many more Texans have to be hurt before you step in? Wilber’s family deserves answers. I’m calling on Governor Abbott to demand a full, transparent investigation and insist federal authorities cooperate with state and local investigators. He must also stand up for Texans and demand an immediate end to ICE traffic stops. We cannot allow this to become the new normal in Texas.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should ICE's use of force in the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez be condemned or condoned?
On September 20, 2026, an ICE officer shot and wounded Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national working as a DoorDash driver, during an immigration enforcement operation in North Austin, Texas. He was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center in serious but stable condition and later transferred into ICE custody. Garces Perez says an unmarked SUV struck his vehicle before he realized the people pursuing him were immigration officers, that he asked an agent if he could stop somewhere safer than under a freeway overpass, and that he was shot after the agent refused. On September 29, federal prosecutors charged him with assaulting and resisting a federal officer. In a sworn affidavit, they say he refused commands to get out of his car and drove off, hitting an officer with his side mirror, and that after a brief chase one officer says Garces Perez tried to hit him with the car, and the officer fired. DHS has confirmed the shooting and said Garces Perez was subject to a final removal order. The dispute is whether the use of force against him was justified.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Roundup that reproduces the full text of statements from Mayor Watson, the Travis County District Attorney, Rep. Casar and others on the day of the shooting.
Before the quotation
An ICE agent shot a man in North Austin on the afternoon of September 20, 2026. Austin-Travis County EMS said he was taken to a trauma center in serious but stable condition.
After the quotation
Fox 7 reported that many of the statements from state, local and national officials called for transparency, an independent investigation and cooperation from the federal government.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether the ICE officer's use of force against Garces Perez was justified. Arias-Bryant said Texans were paying the price of the immigration crackdown, asked how many more Texans had to be hurt, and called for an immediate end to ICE traffic stops, adding that Texas cannot allow this to become the new normal. That criticizes the conduct under scrutiny, so we labeled it Condemned.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
More from this case
Read the full caseKate Lincoln-Goldfinch criticizes ICE violence and medical care in the Garces Perez case
“This case really highlights the violence that we see with ICE on the streets and the bad medical care that people get in immigration detention.”Read statement
Lincoln-Goldfinch criticizes ICE oversight after Garces Perez's surgery
“His case demonstrates the dangers of giving an agency enormous resources and enforcement power without adequate oversight and accountability.”Read statement
Casar demands all footage from the Garces Perez shooting
“Secretary Mullin keeps making promises while his agents keep shooting people. Secretary Mullin must release every second of footage from that scene, so we can know the truth.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Arias-Bryant of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus calls for an end to ICE traffic stops after the Austin shooting
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/3434-jacqueline-arias-bryant-executive-director-of-the-mexican
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Arias-Bryant of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus calls for an end to ICE traffic stops after the Austin shooting". First published: 2026-09-30. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/3434-jacqueline-arias-bryant-executive-director-of-the-mexican