PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
September 22, 2026
Contact: press@alianzaamericas.org / (773) 638-4278
On September 20, Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old, was shot while working for a food delivery app in Austin. ICE agents tried to stop him by crashing into his car, and then shot at him. Wilbur Rafael was injured, taken by an ambulance to a hospital, and released to ICE custody. This is the second incident in Texas in two months. Last time, a Mexican man was killed; this time, a Venezuelan man was injured. They were both shot while driving vehicles. Miraculously, Wilbur Rafael survived the shooting, considering where the bullet hit him.
Alianza Americas continues sounding the alarms about the effects of inadequate training, unlawful orders, and zero accountability in ICE operations, particularly in attempts to stop moving vehicles. Law enforcement has means and tactics that reflect the principles of proportionality and necessity when stopping a vehicle. Lethal force should not be used; other means can stop the vehicle and allow agents to question the driver.
This is the outcome of the politics of cruelty. ICE agents chase individuals based on license plate information and their physical appearance, with total disregard for the life and personal integrity of that human being. In the spur of the moment, they act with lethal force against a person if they do not stop.
This is not an isolated tragedy. ICE and DHS tactics are putting public safety at risk. We are beginning to see some accountability efforts in some jurisdictions, but in many others, no action has been taken. These injuries and deaths are not accidents; they are the predictable result of an enforcement system that has been empowered to expand with few consequences when lives are lost, or individuals are injured.
This killing comes amid an escalation of immigration arrests. Congress has given an unprecedented amount of funding to ICE and CBP and failed to use their oversight powers to establish transparent data reporting, meaningful guardrails, independent oversight, or enforceable accountability. Expanding the power of an agency with a documented record of abuse while failing to strengthen oversight will only lead to more preventable harm. Legislation and congressional oversight are desperately needed.
We will not remain silent. We call for a full, transparent, and independent investigation into the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez and accountability for those responsible. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), we must confront the legal framework that has enabled the expansion of immigration enforcement and contributed to the reality we face today. We call on Congress to repeal IIRIRA and dismantle the laws and policies that have expanded immigration detention, deportation, and enforcement powers at the expense of human rights and due process. We demand an immigration system that prioritizes human dignity, accountability, and the protection of life. The time for incremental changes has passed. Congress must act to fundamentally transform our immigration laws and prevent further loss of life.
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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity, and human rights in the Americas.
