HOUSTON – Community members and four Democratic members of Congress representing the Houston area gathered at a vigil on Saturday, July 11, 2026, to mourn Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national and long-time builder who was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. Lawmakers pledged to push for an independent investigation into the incident, which occurred as Salgado Araujo drove his construction crew to a job site.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that an ICE officer fired at Salgado Araujo’s white van in self-defense after he, described by officials as an “illegal alien,” allegedly rammed an ICE vehicle. Federal agents were reportedly looking for someone else when they attempted to stop the van. However, DHS has not provided any evidence to support this claim.
This official account is strongly disputed by Salgado Araujo’s family and the three men who were passengers in his van. A lawyer who spoke with the passengers on Friday stated that Salgado Araujo was shot through a passenger window and that the ICE officer who fired was not in front of the van or in any danger. His family also challenged the narrative, noting that Salgado Araujo was close to obtaining legal status, with lawyers assisting him in applying for a work permit. They said he had been instructed on how to behave if stopped by immigration agents, including not signing anything and immediately calling his son or wife.
Ronaldo Salgado, his oldest son, told reporters this week that his father “knew what to do” and believed he might have been scared by unmarked vehicles, fearing theft of his van or tools. Ronaldo further stated at the vigil, “He did not deserve to die. He dedicated his life in the United States to giving his family the American dream.”
Rep. Christian Menefee, a Democratic member of Congress, did not mince words at the vigil, asserting, “We are never going to forget that his blood is on Donald Trump’s hands. We are not at war. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was not a casualty. He was a human being who was murdered by our government.” U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Al Green were also present, among other Democratic representatives.
Salgado Araujo had built a life in the U.S. for decades, having entered the country more than 30 years ago and settling in Houston with his wife, whom he met as a teenager in Mexico. He was known for his tireless work ethic, rising before dawn to pick up his crew and working 14-hour days. His son Ronaldo, now a teacher, recounted that his father built hundreds of houses over 35 years, providing for his family and seeing his three sons pursue higher education—one becoming an engineer and another currently studying engineering.
Friends and neighbors remembered Salgado Araujo as a kind, soft-spoken man dedicated to his family. Jessica Alanis Magdaleno, a neighbor, said, “Everything they have now is thanks to the dedication to that.” Josué Flores, a friend of Ronaldo Salgado, recalled Salgado Araujo attending his son’s football games even after arduous workdays, remarking, “I think it speaks volumes of the kind of person that he was.”
The shooting, which occurred in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood, marks at least the eighth death during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign. Salgado Araujo’s wife is reportedly inconsolable, described by his nephew Jose Torres Ramon, who lives in Mexico, as “very upset … angry, sad, disoriented.”
His son, Lorenzo Salgado Jr., reflected on the tragedy, calling it “a hard moment to be an American.” He added, “Even though my government, my federal government took away my father, we the people will bring justice. We the people are America.” Ronaldo Salgado vowed to continue fighting for his father, hoping to make him proud.
Associated Press reporters Jack Brook in New Orleans, Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed.
