The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday, September 21, 2026, that its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit will lead the investigation into a shooting involving a federal immigration officer in Austin, Texas. The incident occurred shortly before 1:00 p.m. on Sunday on the city's north side during a traffic stop. Local authorities reported that a man was shot once in the torso and was in stable condition as of Monday morning.
The individual shot was identified by his lawyer and federal sources as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national. DHS stated that Garces Perez had illegally entered the United States and was subject to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, stated that Garces Perez was working for DoorDash at the time of the shooting and was released from Dell Seton Medical Center into federal custody pending his removal from the country.
According to Austin City Council member Mike Siegel, an officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allegedly rammed the man's car before firing at least five times. A dark blue Toyota Corolla at the scene showed damage to the passenger-side door and apparent bullet holes. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that local police were not involved in the operation or the shooting, while Austin Mayor Kirk Watson (D) requested that the city's police department participate in the probe to provide independent oversight.
The scale of this event is part of a broader increase in federal immigration enforcement, with ICE reporting more than 50,000 arrests per month in July and August 2026. This specific shooting follows other fatal incidents involving federal agents this year, including the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. For residents in Austin—a city with a high concentration of Hispanic residents—this event led to immediate street protests involving approximately 100 people, reflecting local concerns regarding the safety and presence of federal agents in residential areas.
The decision to have HSI lead the probe rather than the FBI represents a shift in federal practice, as the FBI traditionally handles investigations into assaults on federal officers and potential civil rights violations. Critics, including Austin's mayor and congressional representatives, have questioned the transparency and independence of an agency investigating its own personnel. The next steps include HSI's internal review and potential coordination with the Austin Police Department's special investigation unit, though a specific deadline for the investigation's completion or the release of body camera footage has not yet been reported.