New internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records have just revealed that federal agents shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Texas last year, a detail that wasn’t initially disclosed in local reports. This incident, involving Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, in March 2025, predates the highly publicized fatal encounters involving ICE agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. It’s a pretty startling discovery that shines a new light on the agency’s use of force.
Martinez was shot by an officer from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit in South Padre Island, Texas, who was assisting local police with immigration enforcement. According to ICE’s internal account, the shooting happened after Martinez allegedly failed to follow law enforcement instructions during a traffic incident. Martinez’s death was reported locally, but initial reports didn’t mention HSI’s involvement.
