On September 20, 2024, an ICE officer pursued Wilber Rafael Garces Perez after a traffic stop in Austin. The officer fired a single round into the driver’s back as the vehicle spun, according to the agency’s report. Garces Perez was immediately taken to a local emergency department, where the bullet was found lodged near his spine. Despite the initial treatment, the fragment remained, prompting a transfer to a specialized surgical unit.
The legal team, citing the bullet’s proximity to the spinal column, demanded urgent removal. On Thursday, surgeons successfully extracted the projectile, and the driver is now recovering under the supervision of U.S. Marshals. The operation, conducted in a private facility, highlighted concerns about medical access for detainees.
The driver appeared in federal court on Wednesday, sitting in a wheelchair with a sling over his left arm. Prosecutors charged him with assaulting and resisting a federal officer, a felony that carries up to 20 years if convicted. Garces Perez maintains that a law‑enforcement SUV forced his car into a spin, negating the officer’s claim of a traffic violation.
ICE noted that Garces Perez had a final removal order on his license plates, yet no body camera footage was captured during the incident. The officer’s lack of recording has intensified scrutiny over enforcement tactics. The case also reignites debates over the Trump administration’s hard‑line immigration policies.
Local activists and civil‑rights groups have staged protests in downtown Austin to protest the shooting and broader federal enforcement practices. The U.S. Marshals Service has pledged to review the incident, while prosecutors plan to seek a federal court hearing next month. The outcome of that hearing could set a precedent for future ICE conduct in Texas.