ICE officer had no body cam during shooting of delivery driver

The missing footage

Real talk: the investigation into the shooting of 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez just got way more complicated. Sources say the ICE officer involved wasn't wearing a body camera during the Sunday incident in Austin, Texas. Even though Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin promised earlier this month that all ICE agents would be sporting body cams by the end of September, this officer wasn't one of them.

The background

Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national who federal officials say is subject to a deportation order, was working as a DoorDash driver when he was shot in the upper torso. The officer who pulled the trigger reportedly joined ICE last year after working as a border patrol agent. While local Austin police arrived on the scene after the fact, they weren't involved in the shooting itself, and their own footage doesn't capture the lead-up to the event. The lawyer for Garces Perez, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, is lowkey demanding full transparency, hoping agencies release every bit of footage available.

Medical concerns and detention

It’s giving major negligence vibes according to local reps. After the shooting, Garces Perez was taken into ICE custody. Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro and Rep. Greg Casar have been vocal about his treatment, noting that he was allegedly discharged from the hospital way too fast after the shooting.

Rep. Casar says he visited the detention center and learned that Garces Perez only saw a specialist this week, who confirmed he needs surgery to remove the bullet still lodged in his back. The situation is pretty grim, with reports of him being left in a processing facility in a hospital gown without proper medical care. For now, a judge has blocked his deportation until a hearing on September 30.

Why it matters

This incident is the latest flashpoint in the federal crackdown on immigration. With zero body cam footage to clear things up, the lack of transparency is fueling massive distrust and sparking protests, leaving everyone asking how a federal agent could be on the job without the tech they were supposed to have.