Texas prosecutor says ICE agent appeared to intentionally strike man with vehicle in Houston

A Texas prosecutor indicates a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent seemingly used a vehicle to purposely hit a man who fled in Houston, with an investigation by his office potentially leading to criminal charges. The 48-year-old victim, Miguel Parra Hernandez, required surgery for a broken leg after being struck by a car on Saturday, according to Cesar Espinosa, the executive director of FIEL Houston, an immigrant rights group assisting the man's family.

This incident has sparked fresh criticism regarding immigration enforcement in Houston, where local prosecutors have also probed a fatal shooting by a federal immigration officer in July. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, a Democrat, expressed concern over surveillance footage showing Parra Hernandez and another individual jumping from a white truck and being pursued by a dark SUV. The video then shows Parra Hernandez being struck by a vehicle, which subsequently stops and leaves him lying on the ground.

Teare told FOX 26 Houston, "In a case like this, the most obvious criminal charge is aggravated assault with a deadly weapon." The ICE spokesperson in Houston stated that "As ICE officers attempted to apprehend the illegal aliens, Miguel Parra-Hernandez ran in front of an ICE vehicle and was struck." The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Parra Hernandez has been in the U.S. for 34 years and was on his way to work when the encounter started, as per Espinosa. He declined to disclose Parra Hernandez's current status. Espinosa stated that he observed two ICE agents in Parra Hernandez's hospital room. The victim underwent surgery for his knee injury and is awaiting swelling to subside in his ankle so that reconstructive surgery can be performed, he added.

Teare alleged that ICE and DHS have not collaborated with his office during the investigation. In July, Teare also reported that DHS disregarded his request for information following an ICE officer's fatal shooting of 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. This shooting was among at least ten deaths involving encounters with immigration officers since President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign began.