Venezuelan driver undergoes surgery to remove bullet lodged in back for 11 days

Key points

• Garces Perez underwent surgery on October 1 to remove a bullet that had been lodged in his back since the September 20 shooting.
• He remains in federal custody with the U.S. Marshals Service after a judge ruled him a flight risk on September 30.
• Federal prosecutors charged him with assaulting and resisting a federal officer, carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years.
• The ICE officer who shot Garces Perez was not wearing a body camera, while the other officer involved had turned off his camera before arriving at the scene.
• New ICE guidelines issued on September 30 prohibit high-speed chases and require body camera activation, which the September 20 incident violated.

Background

Garces Perez entered the U.S. in December 2023 and applied for asylum, but received a removal order in August 2025. His legal team claims the order was sent to the wrong address. Prior to the shooting, he was working as a DoorDash driver in Austin. The incident has drawn national attention to conditions in immigration detention facilities, following a detainee death in Louisiana and previous fatal ICE shootings in Maine and Texas.

How outlets are covering it

The Texas Tribune and ABC News report that Garces Perez was shot in the back after fleeing a traffic stop, with the officer alleging he attempted to hit him with his car. KUT and the legal team emphasize that the shooting officer lacked a body camera and that Garces Perez was denied access to his wife during surgery. Democrats, including Reps. Joaquin Castro and Greg Casar, criticize the delay in medical care and the treatment of detainees, while federal prosecutors maintain the stop was justified by Garces Perez's flight and alleged assault.

Why it matters

The case highlights tensions over ICE enforcement tactics, medical care in detention, and accountability for use of force. It has sparked protests in Austin and a broader national debate on immigration detention conditions and the use of body cameras by federal agents.

What to watch

Garces Perez is recovering in custody. His legal team is expected to challenge the criminal charges and the conditions of his detention. The new ICE guidelines on vehicle stops and body cameras will likely be tested in future enforcement actions.