Venezuelan Man Charged After ICE Shooting

What happened

Federal prosecutors in Texas charged Wilber Rafael Garces-Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver shot by ICE earlier this month, with assaulting, resisting, interfering with and impeding a federal officer. The case stems from a Sept. 20 traffic stop in North Austin, after ICE officers said they found he had a final removal order from an immigration judge. Garces-Perez’s lawyer says he sought asylum, had a valid work permit and missed court because notice went to an old address. He says an unmarked SUV hit his car first; the government says he fled and struck an officer. He remains in ICE custody, with hearings pending.

How each side covered it

From the left

Left-leaning accounts framed the charge as a legal escalation against a man already shot during an immigration stop. Raw Story focused on doubt around the government’s version, pointing to unreleased footage and a secondhand account of the shooting. The New York Times cited lawyer Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch saying officials were pursuing charges instead of needed medical care.

From the right

Right-leaning accounts centered responsibility on a Venezuelan illegal alien accused of assaulting or resisting a federal officer. The Post Millennial emphasized that the driver escalated the encounter by trying to flee and hitting an officer with his vehicle mirror. RedState treated body-camera footage as undercutting claims from the man, his lawyer, Democrats and anti-ICE activists. Just the News tied the stop to a final deportation order.

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Venezuelan Man Charged After ICE Shooting

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What happened

How each side covered it

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