A federal judge issued an emergency order temporarily blocking the deportation of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, the man shot by an ICE agent in Austin. His attorney said the court scheduled the first hearing for September 30, 2026.
- The temporary stay puts Garces Perez’s deportation fight before a federal court; his attorney identified September 30, 2026 as the date of the first hearing.
- Reuters and other outlets reported on September 20–21, 2026, that Garces Perez remained in federal custody after leaving the hospital; DHS said he was stable and pending removal.
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, remains in ICE custody at the South Texas ICE Processing Center with a bullet lodged in his back after being shot by federal agents in Austin. New reporting says the ICE officer involved is on administrative leave and Homeland Security Investigations is leading the investigation with FBI assistance.
- Perez was transferred from the hospital to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas, where he remains detained.
- Perez reports significant pain and loss of movement on his left side; his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said, “Regardless of his status, the use of force was unwarranted. As far as we understand, he was here legally.”
- The ICE officer who shot Perez has been placed on administrative leave, and Homeland Security Investigations is handling the case with FBI assistance.
1 earlier update
A federal judge issued an emergency order temporarily blocking the deportation of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, the man shot by an ICE agent in Austin. His attorney said the court scheduled the first hearing for September 30, 2026.
- The temporary stay puts Garces Perez’s deportation fight before a federal court; his attorney identified September 30, 2026 as the date of the first hearing.
- Reuters and other outlets reported on September 20–21, 2026, that Garces Perez remained in federal custody after leaving the hospital; DHS said he was stable and pending removal.
- A federal immigration agent shot and wounded a man in North Austin; EMS took him to a hospital on Sunday.
- The shooting occurred in the 7000 block of West Anderson Lane, and Austin police said they were not involved.
- Rep. Greg Casar called for an independent investigation and immediate release of body-camera video.
A federal immigration agent shot and wounded a man in North Austin on Sunday, September 20, 2026, and Austin-Travis County EMS took him to a hospital, officials said. The man was alert and talking when he was transported.
His identity was not publicly released. Officials also did not release a detailed account of his condition.
The shooting happened in the 7000 block of West Anderson Lane, near U.S. 183, Research Boulevard and Anderson Square. Austin police were not involved, city officials said.
City officials said they did not know what led to the shooting. A large law enforcement presence gathered around the scene.
Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, called for an independent inquiry and immediate access to body-camera video.
“The horror has come to our city: ICE has shot a person in Austin this morning.”
Casar followed with a second demand:
“As the facts emerge, I am demanding a full, independent investigation, immediate release of the body camera footage, and accountability for any ICE officer who broke the law.”
Accounts of the shooting center on a damaged Toyota Corolla
A dark blue Toyota Corolla stood beneath the overpass at Research Boulevard and West Anderson Lane. The passenger-side door showed damage, along with what appeared to be bullet holes.
Austin Council Member Mike Siegel said he could see at least two bullet holes. He also said the federal officer allegedly rammed the man’s car, left a federal vehicle and opened fire at least five times.
Those details came from Siegel, who represents District 7. The accounts did not establish why the vehicle encounter began or what happened immediately before the shots.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was handling an investigation in the area. State personnel were among those reported at the scene.
The department did not say whether anyone was shot or injured. Austin police also did not participate in the shooting, officials said.
A council member asked Austin police to join the inquiry
Siegel said the Austin Police Department should participate in the investigation, even though city officers were not involved in the gunfire.
“My top concern right now is that this gets investigated properly,”
He added:
“I want the city police to also be a part of the investigation so the public has confidence that we're getting real facts, that there is a proper investigation being conducted.”
The city planned a 4 p.m. news conference at Austin City Hall. Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz were scheduled to speak.
Department of Homeland Security and Austin Police Department officials were contacted but did not immediately provide comment in the cited reports.
Casar also connected the shooting to broader scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement in Austin. He said:
“Over and over, ICE has shot people and then lied about what happened. We can see the lies with our own eyes. We will demand truth, transparency and accountability.”
In July, an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo of Houston after federal agents in unmarked vehicles pursued him while he was driving a construction crew to a job site.
The Austin shooting adds another case to the calls for greater disclosure of federal enforcement actions. Casar’s requests include an independent investigation and release of the body-camera footage.
