These words of Jesus invite us to see every person, not as a label, statistic, or immigration status, but as a beloved child of God. Recent events in Texas call Resurrection MCC to respond with prayer, compassion, and a faithful commitment to justice.

On September 20, Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan man, was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during an encounter in Austin.[^1] At the time, he was working as a DoorDash delivery driver.[^2]

After receiving initial hospital treatment, Garcés Pérez was transferred to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall.[^3] Speaking by telephone from detention, he said he remained in significant pain and had a bullet lodged near his spine.[^4] His attorney alleged that he had not received adequate continuing medical care or pain medication.[^5] He was later returned to the hospital for additional treatment.[^6]

His attorney has stated that Garcés Pérez entered the United States seeking asylum and possesses valid employment authorization.[^7] The Department of Homeland Security has provided a different account of his immigration history.[^8] Because the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, local officials, community advocates, and members of Congress have called for an independent and transparent examination of what occurred.[^9]

This incident is part of a deeply troubling pattern. Based on publicly documented cases, multiple individuals have been struck by gunfire from immigration enforcement agents during recent operations.[^10] The victims have included immigrants with different legal circumstances and United States citizens.[^11] When incidents involving Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal immigration-enforcement personnel are included, the documented number is even higher.[^12]

Behind every number is a human life: a parent, child, spouse, worker, neighbor, or friend. Whatever a person’s nationality or immigration status may be, no one is beyond the reach of God’s love or outside our shared responsibility to uphold human dignity.

Our faith calls us to welcome the stranger, care for those who are suffering, comfort those who mourn, and speak when human life is endangered. We can pray for the safety of law-enforcement personnel while also calling for transparency, accountability, due process, appropriate medical care, and the humane treatment of every person in government custody.

We pray for Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, for his healing, safety, and family. We remember those who have died, those who remain in detention, and all families living with fear and uncertainty.

We remember their names. We honor their lives. We pray for their families. May their memory be a blessing, and may our prayers move us toward compassion, justice, and action.

Additional information is available through ICE Detainee Death Reporting and public oversight trackers.

Endnotes

[^1]: Associated Press, “What to know about a Venezuelan man shot by an ICE officer in Texas,” September 22, 2026. [^2]: Ibid. [^3]: Ibid. [^4]: Ibid. [^5]: Ibid. [^6]: Ibid. [^7]: Ibid. [^8]: Ibid. [^9]: Office of U.S. Representative Greg Casar, Press Release: “Congressman Casar Demands Immediate, Independent Investigation Into ICE Shooting in Austin,” September 20, 2026; The Times of India, “ICE officer shoots, wounds man in Austin; protesters demand probe,” September 21, 2026. [^10]: KSAT Investigates, “By the numbers: ICE arrests and shootings involving federal immigration officers in 2026,” September 21, 2026. [^11]: The Wall Street Journal / Wikipedia compilation on U.S. Immigration Agent Shootings, 2025–2026. [^12]: KSAT Investigates, op. cit.

Humberto Cruz

Humberto@ResurrectionMCC.Org

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