A 28-year-old Venezuelan national is in ICE custody in Austin, Texas, with a bullet lodged near his spine after a federal immigration officer shot him on September 20, 2026.
Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez was moved from an Austin hospital directly into detention following the shooting, The Guardian reported. On September 21, 2026, he reached his lawyer by phone during a press conference and pleaded for adequate medical care. He told those on the call that he remains in pain and still has a bullet in his back, NBC News reported.
Advocates and lawmakers have described Garcés Pérez as the victim of the shooting and as a "key witness" to the incident, NBC News said. Both outlets reported that lawmakers and advocates are arguing he should not be deported.
The Guardian said the shooting came after a period of intensified federal immigration enforcement activity in the Austin area.