Congressman says Venezuelan man shot by ICE then taken into custody told he needs surgery

Key Points:

• Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan man shot by a federal immigration officer in Austin, Texas, has been advised by a specialist to undergo surgery to remove a bullet lodged near his spine, but he remains in a detention center and in pain.
• Congressman Greg Casar, representing Austin, visited Garces Perez and criticized the Department of Homeland Security for delays in providing appropriate medical care, urging that he be transferred to a hospital if surgery is needed.
• Garces Perez was shot during a targeted vehicle stop by ICE agents while making a DoorDash delivery; he was hospitalized twice but released into ICE custody with the bullet still in his back.
• ICE and DHS have not disclosed details about the shooting or whether the agent involved was wearing a body camera, though local police bodycam footage shows Garces Perez injured and in distress after the incident.
• The shooting occurred amid a significant ICE enforcement surge in Austin and nearby areas, with over 1,000 arrests in June and July, mostly involving immigrants without criminal records, primarily through traffic stops rather than jail partnerships.