Demand Public Hearings and Witness Protection in ICE Killing of Lorenzo Araujo

I’m calling today to urge you to force public hearings on the ICE killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and take immediate action to protect the three eyewitnesses before they are coerced into signing self-deportation orders. DHS has offered no evidence to support its claim that Araujo "weaponized his vehicle" against an agent. The only people who know what happened that morning are the three other passengers: his brother Victor Hugo Salgado Araujo, and coworkers Daniel Tirado Pantoja and Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego — all three now detained by ICE. Juan Proano of LULAC has stated plainly that pressuring these men to self-deport is "an effort by DHS to get rid of the only eyewitnesses to what happened." This is not speculation. Criminal justice expert Radley Balko has documented the same pattern: federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned over DOJ's push to investigate a shooting victim rather than the shooting, and a migrant witness in a separate Minneapolis ICE incident was flown hundreds of miles away to prevent testimony. Lorenzo Araujo was 52 years old, had lived here for 35 years, and had three U.S. citizen sons. He was on his way to a construction job at 6:50 a.m. His family deserves answers, not another cover-up. The other officers also must be questioned, under oath. The FBI and DHS inspector general are investigating, but neither process is transparent or independent enough. Congress must step in. Secure legal representation for the three detained witnesses, subpoena their testimony before they are removed, and hold open hearings. Ronaldo Salgado is asking for a full investigation. I support that. The killings and cover-ups have gone on far too long. Another life taken in ruthless and discriminatory deportation is unacceptable. Hearings now. Thank you.