SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – Newly released internal records from Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly reveal that a 23-year-old man who died in South Texas last March was shot by a federal agent. 

State lawmakers have taken to social media since the reveal, calling for accountability and transparency. 

Fatal ICE shooting in Texas

What we know:

Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, died on March 15, 2025, in South Padre Island, Texas. His death was reported by local outlets at the time, though the incident was referred to as an officer-involved shooting, with no agency revealed. Details were limited in the initial reports. 

Documents were reportedly obtained by American Oversight, a nonprofit watchdog group based in Washington, that reveal the shooting happened during a Homeland Security Investigations immigration enforcement operation. 

The Associated Press says they obtained a statement from DHS saying the driver who was killed “intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent,” resulting in another agent firing “defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.” The records are reported to say Martinez was shot through the driver’s side window of a car after disobeying orders to exit the vehicle, and instead accelerating and hitting an officer. The AP said they got no answers from DHS about the 11-month silence regarding Martinez’ death. 

Martinez’s mother reportedly told the AP her son was visiting the beach for his birthday with his best friend. She said her son was “a typical young guy.”

State departments say the case is still active. The AP says the Texas Department of Public Safety declined to add new information. 

Texas lawmakers react

What they’re saying:

State lawmakers have taken to social media to call for action over the alleged cover-up by law enforcement. 

Texas Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin), who’s currently in the running for governor, says she has filed a Public Information Act and a legislative oversight inquiry for the release of body camera and dashcam footage related to the fatal shooting. She included the following statement in a Friday evening release:

“A young man was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Texas and it took investigative reporters and a FOIA request to find out about it a year later. This is unacceptable. An American died at the hands of a federal agent and no one knew. This complete lack of accountability is a threat to all Americans and all Texans.” said Hinojosa. “This is now the third American citizen to be shot and killed by ICE in the streets. How many more people have been shot and killed that we don’t know about? Greg Abbott has the power to order state police to release this footage today. I urge him to do so immediately to preserve the rule of law and ensure transparency and accountability for the people of Texas.”

State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-Uvalde) says he believes the shooting was part of an operation to target Latinos. His post on X, formerly Twitter, says Martinez is the latest to be “murdered” by federal agents. 

“We just found out ICE agents shot and killed 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez a year ago,” the senator said. “@TxDPS covered it up. DPS is lying when they say they aren’t targeting Latinos, and I’m going to make sure we have justice and accountability.”