ICE agents in fatal Houston shooting were not wearing body cameras, sources say

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents involved in this week’s fatal shooting of an illegal immigrant in Houston were not wearing body cameras, multiple sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News.The development comes as the shooting continues to draw national attention. The incident is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General, while prosecutors in Houston are conducting a separate investigation into the shooting.Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican citizen who authorities said was in the country illegally, was shot and killed Tuesday after he allegedly tried to ram an ICE officer with his vehicle during a traffic stop, the agency said.A DHS official told Fox News on Friday that after receiving a credible tip from law enforcement partners, ICE agents conducted surveillance on a nearby target’s address. Weeks prior to the incident, they noted two white vans at the property. ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTONWhile on duty Tuesday, DHS said agents “were almost at the target’s address” when they saw a white van with “an individual who resembled the target,” leading to the initiation of a vehicle stop.Araujo was struck and taken to a hospital, where he later died.His family has disputed ICE’s account of the shooting and called on the agency to release any available video evidence.However, when asked whether the officers involved were wearing body cameras, DHS told Fox News they “had not been issued body-worn cameras due to back-to-back Democrat shutdowns.””The process of purchasing and issuing body-worn cameras to all of our ICE field offices was interrupted by the Democrats multiple government shutdowns,” a DHS spokesperson said. “… Providing our ICE law enforcement officers with body cameras has been a priority for DHS — especially as our officers are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them. “The halting of our body-worn camera implementation for our officers is yet another setback resulting from Democrat lawmakers refusing to fund DHS. Now thanks to the Secure America Act, ICE has historic funding to provide law enforcement with the resources they need — including body cameras — to make America safe again.”The spokesperson noted body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days.Multiple Democrats have called for an independent investigation into the incident.ANTI-ICE DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED AFTER PROTESTING ARREST OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FACING ASSAULT, DRUG CHARGES”Every single ICE agent involved in the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo must be investigated to the full extent of the law,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X. “Video footage of the killing must be released immediately. The American people deserve the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”ICE RENEWS HUNT FOR EL CHAPO’S LAST TWO FUGITIVE SONS WITH MASSIVE REWARDNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also called for “real accountability” following the shooting and reiterated his support for abolishing ICE.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to pursue “legal measures” following the shooting.Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.