Texas Lawmaker Demands Hearing After ICE Agent Kills U.S. Citizen

A Texas lawmaker is taking action, invoking a new legislative rule to demand a public hearing on the March 2025 shooting death of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, by an agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This incident has raised significant concerns about transparency and oversight in the enforcement of immigration policies.

The proposed hearing will focus on the events surrounding Martinez's death on March 15, 2025, in South Padre Island, Texas. Although the shooting was reported shortly after it occurred, the involvement of ICE was not disclosed until recently, nearly a year later.

Democratic state Representative Ray Lopez, who is also the vice chair of the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs, has formally invoked Rule 4, Section 6A of the Texas House Rules. This rule allows a vice chair to compel the committee chair, in this case, Republican Cole Hefner, to schedule a hearing regarding Martinez's death.

Lopez noted that this is the first time this provision has been utilized since its adoption during the last legislative session. He has requested a written response from Hefner by February 23, but it remains unclear when the hearing will actually take place.

Local media had reported on Martinez's death last year; however, it was only this week that Newsweek revealed ICE's involvement through documents released by the American Oversight Project, an ethics watchdog.

The internal ICE report, which redacts Martinez's name, indicates that agents from Homeland Security Investigations were assisting local police with traffic control following a serious car accident when the incident occurred. According to the report, a blue Ford approached the area where agents were directing traffic but failed to comply with instructions.

As the vehicle slowed to a stop, agents surrounded it and instructed the driver to exit. The driver then accelerated, striking one of the agents, who ended up on the hood of the car. In response, another agent fired multiple shots through an open window. The driver received first aid but was pronounced dead at a Brownsville hospital.

A passenger in the vehicle, also a U.S. citizen whose name was redacted, was detained by local police at the scene. The agent who was hit sustained a knee injury but was treated and released from the hospital.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the shooting in a statement, claiming that the driver intentionally ran over an agent, prompting defensive shots to be fired. The incident is currently under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety's Ranger Division.

Lopez criticized both federal and state authorities for their lack of transparency regarding ICE's role in the shooting. He stated that Martinez's family learned about the federal involvement through media reports rather than official channels.

"When any authority decides to take such drastic action as ending a life, it must be as a last resort," Lopez remarked. "The information I've reviewed does not suggest that this was a last resort." He expressed his determination to uncover the truth behind the incident.

Martinez's mother, Rachel Reyes, expressed her family's desire for accountability. "Since Ruben's death, all we have wanted is justice for him," she said. "We have struggled with the silence surrounding his killing." She hopes that renewed attention on her son's case will lead to justice and answers.

Attorneys for Martinez's family emphasized their commitment to pursuing transparency and accountability. They called for a thorough investigation into why federal agents were present at the scene and why lethal force was used against someone attempting to comply with local law enforcement.

Reyes shared that her son had just celebrated his 23rd birthday before traveling to South Padre Island with friends for a weekend getaway. She described him as a typical young man who enjoyed video games and spending time with friends, emphasizing that he had no prior encounters with law enforcement.

Martinez's death is part of a troubling trend involving fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents. Earlier this year, ICE and Border Patrol agents shot and killed two Minneapolis residents during an immigration operation, sparking widespread protests and calls for accountability.

As immigration enforcement continues to be a contentious political issue—especially in border states like Texas—this case is likely to gain further attention as primary elections approach on March 3. The debate surrounding immigration policies remains at the forefront of political discussions in key races across the state.