AUSTIN, United States: A man was hospitalized in Texas after being shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a foot pursuit, local officials said, as authorities called for an independent investigation into the incident.
The man suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and was taken to hospital in stable but serious condition, according to Austin officials. They said details surrounding the shooting remained preliminary, including the circumstances that led to the use of force.
Officials demand investigation
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed anger over the incident, saying a person had been shot on city streets during an ICE operation.
“I am very angry and extremely disappointed that a person was shot on the streets of Austin by ICE,” Watson said on X.
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The mayor said the shooting occurred amid a sharp increase in ICE operations in the Texas capital, describing the rise in activity as a significant overnight increase.
Watson also questioned whether ICE should conduct its own investigation without involvement from local authorities.
ICE response awaited
ICE has not released details about the shooting, while Austin officials said they could not confirm the wounded man’s identity, age, nationality or the exact sequence of events.
US Representative Greg Casar also called for scrutiny, alleging that ICE had previously provided disputed accounts of shootings involving its agents.
He referred to the January shooting of Renee Goode in Minneapolis, where video footage later challenged the initial account provided by ICE, according to Casar.
Immigration enforcement debate
The incident comes as the Trump administration continues a broad immigration enforcement campaign aimed at increasing deportations and reducing illegal border crossings.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that nearly 51,000 undocumented migrants were arrested in the United States in August.
ICE operations have faced criticism from civil rights groups and local officials over allegations of aggressive tactics, while government officials have defended the agency’s role in enforcing immigration laws.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances of the Austin shooting as more information becomes available.
