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Congress, Don't Let ICE Probe Its Own Austin Shooting. Demand Accountability

To: Rep. Casar, Sen. Cornyn, Sen. Cruz

From: A verified voter in Austin, TX

September 22

I'm your constituent, and I'm asking you to demand an independent investigation into Sunday's ICE shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin, led by the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the DHS Inspector General. Right now, ICE is investigating its own agent (CBS News, Sept. 21, 2026). Garces Perez, 28, was delivering for DoorDash. Video verified by NBC News captures at least three shots as his car slowly rolled forward. DHS called it a foot chase, and he says that's false. He's held in Pearsall with a bullet near his spine while DHS moves to deport him (ABC News, Sept. 21, 2026). An administration official admitted he has no criminal history beyond his immigration status (NBC News). This is a pattern. Agents killed Ruben Ray Martinez on South Padre Island in 2025 and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston this July. Salgado Araujo wasn't even their target (NPR). In Minneapolis, agents killed U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti (Brennan Center). A local police department with this record would face a federal civil rights review. Enforcement isn't focused on dangerous people. As of July, 70.6% of ICE detainees had no criminal conviction (TRAC). Congress gave DHS $170 billion in 2025 and $69.5 billion more in June (American Immigration Council). ICE and CBP still held $152 billion unspent in July (Senate Budget Committee). Restoring enhanced ACA tax credits costs about $35 billion a year (CBO). This money could cover that for nearly seven years, while marketplace families pay 114% more in premiums (KFF). The long-term bill is bigger. Deporting the undocumented population over time could shrink GDP 4.2% to 6.8%, a deeper hit than the Great Recession (American Immigration Council). Undocumented workers are about 40% of hired crop laborers (USDA). Dallas Fed economists tie the crackdown to Texas's weakest job growth in years. I'm asking you to: 1. Demand a DOJ and Inspector General investigation, release of all video, and no deportation of Garces Perez until investigators interview him. 2. Attach body cameras, visible ID, and DOJ-level use-of-force rules to any ICE or CBP funding. 3. Direct enforcement toward people with violent convictions first.

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