Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, a witness to a shooting death involving a federal immigration agent, was released from a detention center on Wednesday following a federal judge’s order. Rojas Pliego was present on July 7 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers stopped a work van and fatally shot the vehicle’s driver, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. The incident has become contentious, with Rojas Pliego disputing the government’s account of events in court documents.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ordered Rojas Pliego’s release earlier in the week and previously instructed the government not to deport him. However, federal prosecutors sought a stay of the release decision while appealing, arguing the judge’s ruling conflicted with precedent in other immigration-related cases. According to family members, Rojas Pliego has resided in the United States for several decades without legal status and has been unable to afford legal assistance to address his immigration situation.
The Department of Homeland Security stated shortly after the shooting that Salgado Araujo had “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer” and that the officer fired in self-defense. Rojas Pliego and another passenger, however, submitted court statements indicating that officers were positioned on the sides of the van rather than in front of or behind it. Salgado Araujo, described as a 52-year-old father of three who had lived in the country for 35 years, had no criminal record and was approaching legal status, according to family accounts.
The death is one of at least 10 fatalities occurring during immigration enforcement operations since the beginning of the Trump administration’s deportation campaign. The incident has prompted widespread protests in Houston and calls for an independent investigation. Wearing an ankle monitor following his release, Rojas Pliego visited a memorial site dedicated to Salgado Araujo and expressed his desire for justice.
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