ICE Fatally Shot U.S. Citizen in Texas, Report Reveals

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – Homeland Security News

LAS VEGAS — (February 20, 2026) — Newly released federal documents reviewed by the The NY Times confirm that 23-year-old U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez was fatally shot in March 2025 by agents affiliated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in South Texas.

Related LGBT Politics News Coverage on JRL CHARTS:

• Get the Latest in LGBT Politics USA Exclusively on JRL CHARTS

• Breaking Military News involving LGBTQ Service Members and Security

• Trump Says U.S. Will “Run” Venezuela After Maduro’s Dramatic Capture in Military Raid

• Pentagon Cuts Harvard Ties Over DEI, Wokeness, and LGBTQ Policy Disputes

The incident, which occurred during the early morning hours of March 15, 2025, on South Padre Island, was initially reported as a local law enforcement officer-involved shooting. However, according to internal Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) records obtained and reviewed by the Times, federal agents were directly involved in the fatal encounter.

Federal Presence at Local Scene Raises Questions

According to the Times’ reporting, HSI agents were assisting local authorities with traffic control near a car accident when Martinez approached the scene in a blue Ford vehicle.

Internal documentation states that agents ordered Martinez to exit his vehicle after what officials described as a failure to comply with commands. Federal records indicate that agents surrounded the vehicle and issued further instructions. Authorities allege that Martinez accelerated, striking a federal agent who landed on the vehicle’s hood. Another agent then discharged multiple rounds through the driver’s side window.

Martinez was transported to a hospital in Brownsville, Texas, where he later died from his injuries.

DHS Cites Self-Defense

In a statement summarized by the Times, the Department of Homeland Security characterized the shooting as self-defense. Officials said the agent “fired defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public” after Martinez allegedly struck an officer with the vehicle. The injured federal agent was treated for a knee injury and released.

The case has drawn attention within Homeland Security oversight circles due to the circumstances surrounding federal agents’ presence at a local traffic collision and the fatal use of force against a U.S. citizen.

Family Disputes Federal Account

Martinez’s family has publicly challenged the federal narrative. His mother, Rachel Reyes, described her son to the Times as a “good kid” with no criminal history who had recently celebrated his birthday.

Attorneys representing the family, Charles Stam and Alex Stamm, also questioned the federal account. In statements to the Times, they argued that eyewitness descriptions differ from government documentation and called for a full and transparent investigation into the involvement of Homeland Security Investigations personnel.

“It is critical that there is a full and fair investigation into why H.S.I. was present at the scene of a traffic collision and why a federal officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen,” the attorneys said.

Investigation Underway

The shooting is currently under investigation by the Texas Rangers, the state’s top law enforcement investigative division. Officials have not publicly released additional body camera footage or ballistic findings at this time.

According to the Times, Martinez is at least the third U.S. citizen killed in encounters involving federal immigration agents since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, following fatal January incidents in Minneapolis involving Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

Federal Oversight and Policy Implications

The case arrives amid heightened scrutiny of interagency coordination between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement agencies. Experts in homeland security policy note that HSI operations often intersect with broader criminal investigations, including narcotics enforcement, human trafficking cases, and cross-border security initiatives.

As federal oversight bodies and state investigators continue reviewing the March 2025 shooting, questions remain about rules of engagement, escalation procedures, and coordination protocols when federal agents assist local authorities during non-immigration related incidents.

JRL CHARTS will continue monitoring updates as official investigative findings are released.

For verified Homeland Security, federal enforcement, and national security coverage, stay with JRL CHARTS – Homeland Security News, where investigative clarity meets advertiser-safe reporting.

Media Partners: For licensing inquiries, media usage rights, or republication requests, please visit our Contact Us page. All content © JRL CHARTS Media Network. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.