DHS Confirms HSI Agent Killed Texas Citizen in 2025 Traffic Shooting, Rangers Lead Probe
Updated (7 articles)
March 15 2025 traffic‑control incident ends in fatal shooting On the night of March 15 2025, 23‑year‑old Ruben Ray Martinez was driving a blue Ford on South Padre Island when a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent, assisting local police after a multi‑injury crash, was struck on the vehicle’s hood. A supervisory HSI agent then discharged several rounds through the driver’s side window, killing Martinez and wounding the first agent’s knee. The passenger, also a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody. [1][3][4][5][7]
DHS acknowledges shooting after year‑long secrecy Department of Homeland Security later confirmed the incident, describing the gunfire as defensive fire after the driver “intentionally ran over” an agent. Internal ICE reports obtained via FOIA—first revealed by Newsweek and echoed by Le Monde—show the agency concealed the federal involvement for 11 months, making this the first known fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by a federal immigration officer under the Trump‑era deportation policy. [1][2][3][6][7]
Texas Rangers assume primary investigative authority The Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division announced it is leading the investigation, while the FBI’s San Antonio field office is not participating. A state‑level report completed in October will be submitted to a grand jury, and officials say the probe remains “active.” [1][4][5][6]
Family, attorneys, and governor demand accountability Rachel Reyes, Martinez’s mother, has spent a year seeking answers after the agency’s silence; she and her lawyers, Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm, are pressing for a “full and fair” inquiry into HSI’s presence and the use of lethal force. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office publicly condemned the delayed disclosure and called for oversight of immigration‑enforcement practices. [2][4][6]
Scholars and activists criticize agent tactics amid broader crackdown Police‑use‑of‑force expert Geoffrey Alpert argues that positioning agents in front of a moving vehicle is unjustified, echoing criticism from earlier Minneapolis cases (Renée Good, Alex Pretti). The Martinez shooting is identified as the earliest of at least six fatal officer incidents since the nationwide immigration enforcement surge began in President Trump’s second term. [4][5][6]
Sources
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1.
Newsweek: DHS Confirms HSI Agent Fired Defensive Shots Killing U.S. Citizen**: Details DHS confirmation, HSI involvement, and family’s demand for transparency, highlighting the case as the first fatal shooting of a citizen under Trump‑era deportation policy.
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2.
Newsweek: Mother of U.S. Citizen Killed by DHS Agent Calls for Justice After Year‑Long Silence**: Focuses on Rachel Reyes’s year‑long quest for answers, the delayed public disclosure, and Governor Newsom’s condemnation.
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3.
Le Monde: U.S. Citizen Killed in 2025 Texas Shooting Revealed by FOIA Documents**: Presents FOIA‑derived ICE records, describes the shooting mechanics, and notes upcoming grand‑jury review and video evidence disputes.
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4.
CNN: Texas Citizen Killed by Federal Immigration Agent in 2025 Traffic Stop**: Highlights the incident’s timing, the Rangers’ active investigation, and situates the case among six fatal shootings since the immigration crackdown.
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5.
AP: Federal Immigration Agent Killed Texas Man in 2025 Traffic Shooting, Records Reveal**: Reports newly released ICE documents, outlines the agents’ traffic‑control role, and confirms the pending grand‑jury presentation.
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6.
Newsweek: Newsom Criticizes Year‑Long Silence on ICE Fatal Shooting of Texas Citizen**: Emphasizes Governor Newsom’s criticism of the disclosure delay and frames the shooting within broader ICE use‑of‑force scrutiny.
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7.
Newsweek: ICE Agent’s Fatal Shooting of U.S. Citizen Ruben Ray Martinez Revealed**: Notes initial media omission of federal involvement, describes the agents’ positioning, and lists the multiple agencies participating in the investigation.
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Timeline
Jan 7, 2025 – The fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis sparks a national debate over ICE use‑of‑force and heightens scrutiny of federal immigration officers [4].
Jan 24, 2025 – A second Minneapolis fatality, Alex Pretti, further intensifies criticism of federal immigration enforcement tactics [4].
Mar 15, 2025 – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents assist South Padre Island police after a multi‑injury crash; Ruben Ray Martinez’s blue Ford ignores stop commands, accelerates, strikes an HSI special agent on the hood, and a supervisory agent fires multiple rounds through the driver’s side window, killing Martinez and wounding the agent’s knee [1][5][6][7].
Mar 15, 2025 – DHS later frames the shooting as defensive fire, stating the agent fired “to protect himself, his colleagues and the public” after Martinez “deliberately” rammed the officer [2].
2025 (throughout the year) – Martinez’s death becomes the earliest of at least six fatal shootings by federal officers since the nationwide immigration‑enforcement surge launched in President Trump’s second term, reflecting a shift of border‑task‑force agents to immigration duties [1][6].
Oct 2025 – The Texas Rangers finish their state investigative report on the Martinez shooting and schedule its presentation to a grand jury for possible criminal charges [1][6].
Feb 2026 – A Newsweek investigation, based on ICE FOIA documents, publicly reveals that a DHS immigration agent fired the fatal shots, ending an 11‑month silence on the case [5][7].
Feb 20, 2026 – Governor Gavin Newsom’s office condemns the near‑year delay in disclosure, saying “the lag in disclosing … raises serious transparency concerns” [4].
Feb 21, 2026 – DHS confirms the March 15, 2025 shooting, reiterates that the Texas Rangers lead the investigation, and notes the FBI San Antonio office is not involved [2].
Feb 21, 2026 – Mother Rachel Reyes tells Newsweek that her family “has endured a year of silence” and demands answers and justice for her son [3].
Feb 21, 2026 – Attorneys Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm call for “a full and fair investigation” into HSI’s presence and the use of deadly force [1][3].
Feb 21, 2026 – Police‑use‑force scholar Geoffrey Alpert says agents “should not place themselves in front of a moving vehicle,” criticizing the tactical positioning of the HSI officers [1][6].