Rep. Delia Ramirez called the Department of Homeland Security the "greatest threat to our safety" hours after an immigration officer fatally shot a Mexican national who allegedly tried to run over a federal agent during an enforcement operation in Houston on Tuesday. The inflammatory statement came despite DHS's account that the shooting was an act of self-defense.
DHS said Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot after he allegedly resisted arrest during an attempted traffic stop, rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer. "The driver was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted," the department said, adding that he was transported to the hospital where he died from his injuries.
Abolition Push Continues
Ramirez, a Chicago-based lawmaker who has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, didn't wait for the completion of any investigation before attacking the agency. She wrote on Tuesday that "CBP and ICE continue to violently attack our neighbors and trample the rights of our residents." She urged the Republican-controlled House to pass her Melt ICE Act, which would effectively defund the agency while laying out a timeline to shutter all immigration detention facilities and release detained illegal aliens.
The legislation is sponsored by fellow "Squad" members Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar. It has no clear path to passage amid widespread opposition from Republicans and likely from some Democrats. A spokesperson for Ramirez didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on DHS's account of the shooting.
Investigations Underway
DHS's Office of Inspector General is probing the shooting, and the FBI's Houston Office launched a separate investigation into the "potential assault" of the ICE officer. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, who represents the Magnolia Park neighborhood where Salgado Araujo was shot, said, "ICE has released an initial account, but the facts must be independently and thoroughly investigated, including the circumstances that led to the use of deadly force." She added, "All available footage, communications, and other evidence should be preserved and reviewed as part of a full and impartial investigation."
Democrats have recently taken a hard line against DHS over its immigration enforcement and border security functions. Top Democrats refused to fund the department earlier this year following the Trump administration's controversial Minneapolis immigration enforcement surge that led to the killing of two Americans by federal officers. The party's hardball tactics led to the longest partial government shutdown in history and later prompted Republicans to pass a second "big beautiful bill" that funded ICE and CBP for the rest of President Donald Trump's term.
Silence on Criminal Cases
Ramirez's ICE abolition advocacy comes as she hasn't commented on a spate of illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds who were arrested in her home state of Illinois in June. Federal agents recently arrested Venezuelan national Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, who allegedly assisted in a 2024 mass shooting involving Tren de Aragua members at a house party in Chicago. Last month, authorities also detained Noe Moreno-Salazar, an illegal alien from Mexico, in St. Charles, Ill. He was previously convicted of sexual abuse and aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon, among other offenses, according to DHS.
Ramirez also didn't appear to comment on the March killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman by a Venezuelan illegal alien in Chicago, an incident that sparked outrage over the perpetrator's previous arrest.
Why This Matters:
The immediate condemnation of federal law enforcement before any investigation is complete raises questions about whether some lawmakers prioritize political messaging over officer safety and rule of law. DHS agents operate under strict use-of-force protocols, and the department's account describes a scenario where an officer faced imminent danger from a vehicle being used as a weapon. The Melt ICE Act's proposal to release detained illegal aliens and close all detention facilities would eliminate the government's ability to detain individuals who pose public safety risks, including those with criminal convictions. The contrast between Ramirez's vocal criticism of enforcement actions and her silence on violent crimes committed by illegal aliens in her home state highlights the tension between immigration enforcement and progressive calls for abolition.