Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch is an Austin, Texas immigration attorney and the founder of the law firm Lincoln-Goldfinch Law.
Case
An ICE officer shot and wounded Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan DoorDash driver, in Austin on September 20. He says he was shot while trying to pull over; DHS has not explained why the officer fired. The dispute is whether the shooting was justified.
Case
DHS says its Homeland Security Investigations will lead the inquiry into an ICE officer's shooting of a Venezuelan delivery driver in Austin. Austin's mayor, Democratic lawmakers and LULAC call for independent investigation; the man's attorney disputes DHS's account.
Role at the time: Immigration attorney representing the man's family, in a post on X
Statement summary
In a post on X, the man's attorney wrote that he entered legally and has a valid work permit, disputing DHS's description of him as an illegal alien who illegally entered.
“Wilber entered legally and has a valid work permit.”
Relative to DHS's account, the attorney disputes DHS's description of the man's entry and status. She does not speak to the investigation in this quotation, so the response is a challenge to the description. Closest competing label: condemns loses because this passage disputes a characterization rather than criticizing DHS's conduct.
Role at the time: Garces Perez's immigration attorney, speaking on NewsNation Prime
Statement summary
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, Garces Perez's attorney, said on "NewsNation Prime" that regardless of his immigration status, he did not deserve to be shot.
“Even if he did have a final order of removal, he did not deserve to be shot in the back of the neck.”
The case's fixed reference point is whether the officer's use of force against Garces Perez was justified. Lincoln-Goldfinch directly says the shooting was not justified regardless of his immigration status, separating that question from his removal order rather than disputing only how the incident has been characterized.
Statement dates: September 21, 2026
Statement dates: September 21, 2026
Statement dates: September 21, 2026
Statement dates: September 21, 2026
