A federal judge has stepped in to block the deportation of a witness tied to a deadly shooting involving ICE agents in Houston. Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego must stay in Texas while his legal fight continues. This ruling drops right in the middle of a tragic week where three men died during encounters with immigration officers.
The Shooting in Houston
It kicked off on July 7 when agents stopped a van heading to a construction site. Lorenzo Araujo Salgado, a 52-year-old father of three, was shot and killed by an ICE officer. According to the Washington Times, Salgado had lived in the U.S. for 35 years and had no criminal record. His family says he was close to getting legal status.
Three people were in that van that day.
Rojas Pliego was one of them, and he and the other two men flat-out dispute the government’s story about what happened. The Department of Homeland Security claims Salgado tried to run over an officer. But the passengers say the agent fired first without cause.
A Pattern of Tragedy
This Houston case isn’t just a one-off fluke. Just days after the shooting in Texas, another man died in Maine. A third man, Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán, was struck by a truck in Florida while fleeing agents. He was on a tourist visa and was visiting the U.S. for vacation, according to his wife and a local advocacy group.
What’s the point of fleeing if you’re just here to see the sights?
The Washington Times reports that Coronilla Durán was “here as a tourist” and “didn’t come to work.” His wife says he ran because he was very afraid. These three deaths in one week have sparked protests and calls for an independent probe.
The Legal Battle Ahead
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison wrote the order on Monday keeping Rojas Pliego in the Southern District of Texas. The judge acted on a habeas petition filed by the witness. Rojas Pliego claims he is being held unconstitutionally in ICE custody.
That’s the specific legal mechanism at play right now.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is helping the passengers apply for a special visa. This U visa is for witnesses who help law enforcement with an investigation. It remains unclear if the federal government will grant these visas. One passenger, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, also filed a habeas petition on Monday.
Meanwhile, Salgado’s brother faces his own immigration hearing this week. His attorney requested the petition be sealed to protect the family from threats. The FBI also searched the van for drugs, finding bags with a white substance. The family insists the substance was just salt for hydration.
