Judge Ellison Blocks ICE From Deporting Shooting Witness José Rojas Pliego, Orders Response by July 24
Updated
Updated · KTRK-TV · Jul 22
Judge Ellison Blocks ICE From Deporting Shooting Witness José Rojas Pliego, Orders Response by July 24
3 articles · Updated · KTRK-TV · Jul 22
Summary
July 20 brought an immediate court check on ICE: U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison barred José Trinidad Rojas Pliego’s deportation or transfer out of South Texas while his habeas case is pending.
The order followed Rojas Pliego’s petition arguing his continued detention violates due-process rights and should end because he has a pending U-visa application as a cooperating crime victim.
New court filings show Harris County prosecutors certified Rojas Pliego and fellow passenger Daniel Tirado Pantoja on July 13 as victims of alleged felonious assault, manslaughter and murder tied to the July 7 shooting.
Rojas Pliego’s statement says Lorenzo Salgado Araujo stopped the van before an agent shot him, directly disputing ICE’s claim the driver used the vehicle as a weapon; Tirado Pantoja also alleged agents switched guns afterward.
Both men remain in ICE custody and face Aug. 3 immigration hearings, while a third passenger—Lorenzo’s brother Victor Hugo—has asked to seal his own habeas case as the FBI, Texas Rangers and local prosecutors investigate.
Why are two men certified as victims of a fatal shooting still held in immigration detention?
With no body cameras and conflicting witness accounts, how will justice be served for the fatal shooting?
Fatal ICE Shooting in Houston: Detained Witnesses, U Visa Struggle, and Demands for Justice After July 7, 2026
Overview
Three key witnesses—Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, and Victor Hugo Salgado Araujo—are detained at the Montgomery ICE Processing Center in Texas and are at the center of a complex legal battle following a fatal ICE shooting. All three have filed federal habeas petitions to challenge their detention, while also seeking U visa protections to prevent deportation. Rojas Pliego and Pantoja have long-standing ties to the U.S. and no criminal records. Their testimony is crucial for ongoing investigations into the shooting, making their legal status and safety a major concern for both the courts and the community.