An ICE officer is charged with assault for striking a man with a car in Houston

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, Mario Alberto Morales, has been indicted by a grand jury for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Houston. The charges stem from an incident on October 10th where Morales allegedly rammed his unmarked SUV into Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old Mexican construction worker.

Parra Hernandez sustained a broken leg and is currently in federal custody for rehabilitation. According to prosecutors, the officer was driving when he saw Parra Hernandez running away during a pursuit through a parking lot. Parra Hernandez allegedly jumped out of the vehicle, which Morales then struck and ran over. The officer's body camera footage and a recording of him calling 911 have been released, showing the incident.

Morales' attorney claims the charges are politically motivated, while the district attorney's office maintains the evidence is clear. Parra Hernandez has lived in the area for over 30 years and did not have a criminal background or a deportation order. ICE had previously identified another man as the target of the operation, but that individual has since been identified as deceased.