A Venezuelan man currently held in immigration detention says he is suffering through intense pain after being shot in the back by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a traffic stop in Austin. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a twenty eight year old DoorDash driver, spoke by phone during a news conference on Monday, claiming that a bullet remains lodged near his spine. According to Garces Perez, medical professionals declined to remove the projectile due to its proximity to his spinal cord, yet he alleges that ICE officials pressured the hospital to release him into their custody prematurely.
The incident occurred Sunday afternoon when Garces Perez was making deliveries. His attorney, Kate Lincoln Goldfinch, describes a harrowing sequence of events where an unmarked black truck sideswiped his vehicle twice before agents opened fire, striking him in the back of the neck. While Department of Homeland Security officials stated that he is in stable condition and pending removal from the United States, legal advocates argue that transferring him to a detention facility without proper surgery was inhumane. Reports suggest he spent his first night at the South Texas ICE Processing Center sleeping on a cold floor with little to no pain medication.
Concerns over his health have escalated following reports from fellow detainees. Attorney Lincoln Goldfinch shared an account suggesting that officers handled Garces Perez roughly during his detention, leading him to lose feeling in the left side of his body. This alleged deterioration prompted further emergency medical transport, though details regarding his current status remain scarce as DHS has not responded to specific inquiries about these new developments. Witnesses at the scene described seeing a devastated man clutching his wound shortly after shots rang out near a local business.
Political leaders and civil rights organizations are now calling for his immediate release. Representative Greg Casar and leadership from the League of United Latin American Citizens emphasized that Garces Perez is not only a victim but the primary witness to a potential use of force violation. They argue that attempting to deport him while he is medically fragile prevents accountability for the agent involved. Despite having no criminal record other than undocumented status, Garces Perez faces deportation after missing a court date due to an administrative error involving a changed mailing address.
