Austin man shot by ICE remains in detention with bullet lodged in spine, lawyer says

A Venezuelan delivery driver, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, was shot in the back by an ICE officer in Austin and was later moved from hospital to the South Texas Processing Center in Pearsall with a bullet lodged near his spine. His lawyer says he’s in severe pain and not receiving adequate medical care or pain relief in detention. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, while Homeland Security Investigations, with FBI assistance, investigates. Garces Perez entered the U.S. in 2024 via the CBP One app and was seeking asylum but had a deportation order in absentia; DHS also terminated his parole status under CBP One. Local officials are calling for transparency and bodycam footage as ICE presence in Austin draws criticism, in the context of other recent ICE shootings.