The family of Lorenzo Salgado Araújo, the Mexican migrant who died after being shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during an operation in Houston, Texas, continues to face a new challenge: more than two days after his death, his loved ones have still not been able to recover his body to bury him.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) reported on Thursday that the circumstances surrounding the Mexican worker’s death have complicated the process for his family, which continues to demand an independent investigation into the operation.
Lorenzo Salgado’s body has not yet been released
ICE Kills Mexican Man in Houston
An agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) killed a Mexican man following a traffic incident in Houston, Texas.
According to information from ICE, the man was identified as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who… pic.twitter.com/QMB5vXfTWy
— Abejorro (@AbejorroMedia) July 7, 2026
According to Juan Proaño, LULAC’s national director, before Lorenzo was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, federal agents confiscated his identification documents and cell phone and impounded the van in which he was traveling to work along with three other Latino workers.
As a result, the hospital initially registered him as “John Doe,” the name used in the United States for people whose identity has not been confirmed.
According to the organization, the medical center had to rely on biometric information provided by the family to officially verify the victim’s identity, a process that delayed confirmation of his death by more than 24 hours.
The wife cannot claim the remains
ICE killed a father of three yesterday, and no one is talking about it.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo spent 35 years in Houston building homes and raising a family.
According to people interviewed, every night after work you’d find him on his porch, listening to music, petting his… pic.twitter.com/1AR2Rf42h9
— Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽 (@JoshEakle) July 9, 2026
Currently, the hospital is requesting that an authorized family member claim the body.
However, Lorenzo’s wife is also in the United States without legal immigration status, so LULAC attorneys are working to ensure that one of the couple’s children obtains the necessary authorization to complete the process.
“He deserves a funeral,” said Proaño, who also asked the authorities to preserve all evidence related to the case and return Lorenzo’s personal belongings, including his vehicle.
The other occupants of the van, identified as Víctor Salgado Araújo, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, and José Trinidad Rojas, were detained during the immigration raid.
Meanwhile, family members, civil society organizations, lawmakers, and political leaders continue to demand an independent and transparent investigation to determine exactly what happened during the ICE raid.
The official account from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) states that Lorenzo Salgado attempted to ram one of the agents with his vehicle as they were trying to detain him due to his immigration status.
According to that account, the officer fired in self-defense. However, the family questions the procedure and says there are still many unanswered questions.
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