Venezuelan Shot by ICE Remains Detained with Bullet Lodged in Body
Posted on 09/22/26 at 08:00
Venezuelan immigrant Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Sunday in Austin, remains detained in southern Texas with the bullet still lodged in his body.
Garcés Pérez, 28, is being held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, about two hours from Austin.
His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, reported that the Venezuelan man still has the bullet lodged near his spine and is not receiving the medical attention he needs.
“He still has the bullet lodged in his body,” the attorney said, also reporting that Garcés Pérez did not receive painkillers and had to sleep on the floor for part of his detention.
Doctors Decided Not to Remove the Bullet
Garcés Pérez himself explained during a call from the detention center that he was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center after the shooting.
According to his account, doctors determined that removing the projectile was too risky due to its proximity to his spinal column.
He was then handed over to immigration authorities and transferred to a processing center before being placed in custody in Pearsall.
“I’m feeling bad. I haven’t received the medical attention I need,” the Venezuelan man said, speaking about his condition.
He Was Working as a DoorDash Delivery Driver
The incident occurred around noon on Sunday while Garcés Pérez was making food deliveries for DoorDash in north Austin.
According to the version provided by the Venezuelan man and his attorneys, an unmarked van had struck his Toyota Camry before he realized it was immigration agents.
Garcés Pérez said that the vehicles then activated their lights and sirens, and he tried to stop in a place he considered safer. Shortly after, he felt the shot in his back.
Videos released after the incident show an agent getting out of a van and firing shots in the direction of the Venezuelan man’s vehicle.
The exact circumstances that led to the use of the firearm are still under investigation.
DHS Investigates the Shooting
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations, with the support of the FBI, is investigating the incident.
Federal authorities claim that Garcés Pérez had a final deportation order.
However, his attorney questions part of the official version and claims that the Venezuelan man entered the United States in 2024 through CBP One, the application used during the Joe Biden administration to manage immigration appointments at ports of entry.
You May Be Interested: UN puts New York under maximum security: Trump and Mamdani meet
According to Lincoln-Goldfinch, Garcés Pérez later applied for asylum and obtained a work permit.
The attorney also claims that the deportation order was issued after the Venezuelan man missed a hearing because the notification had been sent to a previous address.
Austin Authorities Demand Answers
The shooting has raised questions from local authorities in Austin, who have asked for greater transparency about the circumstances in which the agent opened fire.
As the investigation moves forward, Garcés Pérez remains in federal custody, and his legal representation is demanding that he receive adequate medical attention for the wound and the bullet that remains lodged in his body.