An ICE officer shooting delivery driver in Texas has sparked a federal assault charge against the driver. Wilber Rafael Garces‑Pérez, 28, was making a DoorDash delivery when an ICE agent fired a handgun at his vehicle. Prosecutors say Garces‑Pérez tried to drive away and struck the officer with his side‑view mirror, prompting the officer to use lethal force. The bullet lodged in Garces‑Pérez’s spine, an injury his lawyers describe as a "grave danger."
The shooting occurred during a routine delivery in an unnamed Texas city, according to BBC News, Al Jazeera and NBC News. After being hit, Garces‑Pérez was taken to a hospital where doctors confirmed the spinal injury. Federal prosecutors have filed an assault charge, alleging he intentionally hit the officer with the mirror. His defense team disputes the claim, saying the officer’s account is uncorroborated and that firing a firearm was unwarranted.
The case highlights two pressing issues: the use of force by immigration agents in non‑violent encounters and the legal vulnerability of gig‑economy workers, many of whom are recent immigrants. If convicted, Garces‑Pérez could receive a federal criminal record that jeopardizes his ability to remain in the United States and to work as a delivery driver—a job that provides essential income for many low‑wage workers.
Law‑enforcement officials have not released details of any internal review of the officer’s decision to fire. Data on ICE’s use of lethal force in non‑violent situations is limited, but past reporting indicates firearms are used far less often than by local police. The lack of publicly available statistics makes it difficult to assess how typical this encounter was.
Garces‑Pérez’s attorneys have called for an independent investigation, noting that no independent witness or video evidence confirms the alleged mirror strike. They argue that the driver’s attempt to leave the scene may have been driven by fear after being shot, not an aggressive act toward the officer.
Community advocates warn the incident could deter other immigrant gig workers from accepting delivery jobs, shrinking the labor pool that restaurants and food‑service platforms rely on. They say the case underscores the need for clearer guidelines on the use of force by immigration agents when interacting with civilians engaged in ordinary commerce.
As a federal court prepares for a hearing on the assault charge, unanswered questions remain: what concrete evidence supports the government’s assertion that Garces‑Pérez struck the officer, and will ICE’s internal policies on use of force be examined in light of this incident? The outcome will likely shape how immigration enforcement is perceived by immigrant communities and could influence future policy discussions about accountability in federal law‑enforcement actions.