Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, was shot in the back by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Austin, Texas, on Sunday. He says his car was struck twice before the gunshot. Mr. Garces Perez said he felt only one bullet enter his body, and it remains lodged near his spine. A doctor at the hospital did not remove it because ICE agents were in a hurry to transport him. He said he has not received necessary medical attention.

ICE agents were checking license plates in northwest Austin when they discovered Mr. Garces Perez had a deportation order. He was not the target of a federal investigation, according to people familiar with the shooting. He entered the United States in 2024 through an asylum seeker program and had a work permit. A missed hearing, caused by a notice sent to a former address, led to the order.

The agents pulled him over at about 12:45 p.m. while he was making Door Dash deliveries. After being told he was under arrest, he fled. A short chase followed. The Homeland Security Investigations unit and the FBI are investigating. The shooting was the second in Texas by an ICE agent since July and part of a broader pattern: more than 20 people have been shot by ICE since President Trump took office.