ICE target in Houston crash identified as man dead since 2017
An ICE agent struck a construction worker in Houston on October 10, 2026, causing severe injuries. The agency claimed it was pursuing a suspect, but the suspect’s family says the man died in 2017. ICE has not responded to new claims, while local prosecutors investigate potential criminal charges.
Key points
- ICE struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, with an SUV in Houston on October 10, 2026, breaking his leg and causing other injuries.
- ICE stated it was targeting Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, but his daughter says the man is Jose Hector Jimenez Mendoza, who died in 2017.
- A Mexican death certificate provided by the family lists the death in Laredo, Texas, in 2017.
- Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare is considering aggravated assault charges against the ICE officer.
- The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave, and ICE is under internal investigation.
- Parra Hernandez remains in federal custody at a hospital, awaiting reconstructive surgery.
Background
This incident follows a series of violent encounters between ICE and civilians in 2026, including the shooting of Lorenzo Salgado-Araujo in Houston in July and a fatal shooting in New York City in October. These events have intensified scrutiny of ICE’s enforcement tactics under the Trump administration.
How outlets are covering it
The Guardian and The New York Times report that the man ICE identified as its target, Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, is actually Jose Hector Jimenez Mendoza, who died in 2017. FIEL Houston, an advocacy group, says the family provided a death certificate. ICE has not responded to these claims. NBC News notes that the man in the car with Parra Hernandez, identified as 'Omar,' has light-colored eyes, unlike the man in the photo ICE released. Houston Public Media reports that ICE relocated a witness to a detention center in Port Isabel, Texas, before the DA could interview him. The DA’s office says it interviewed the witness before he was deported to Mexico.
Why it matters
The incident raises serious questions about ICE’s verification processes and the accuracy of its enforcement operations. If ICE was pursuing a dead man, it suggests a failure in identity verification, potentially endangering innocent people. The case may lead to criminal charges against the officer and further scrutiny of ICE’s practices.
What to watch
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare may refer the case to a grand jury. FIEL Houston is seeking Parra Hernandez’s release before he is moved to a federal detention center. ICE has not responded to requests for comment or to release bodycam footage.
- ICE agent who crashed into man in Texas was targeting suspect who died years ago, family says The Guardian
- Immigrant ICE was seeking when its agent hit a man with its SUV has been dead since 2017, family says NBC News
- ICE Called Him a Wanted Man. His Family Said He Had Been Dead Nine Years. The New York Times
- Harris County DA says witness to ICE auto-pedestrian incident has been relocated by ICE Houston Public Media
- Houston group says it’s delivered proof to the DA: Man ICE was hunting died years ago Click2Houston
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