Congressmen Demand Probe in ICE Killing of US Citizen Ruben Ray Martinez
Two Democrats in the House of Representatives want to see an independent investigation into the fatal ICE shooting of U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez in Texas, after the federal agent-linked death went unreported for almost a year.
In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security‘s (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Representatives Robert Garcia of California and Greg Casar of Texas, accused officials of lying about the 23-year-old’s death and questioned the narrative given by the DHS.
"Mr. Martinez's death is a tragedy that should never have happened," Garcia and Casar wrote. "DHS' repeated lies and omissions about the shooting of Mr. Martinez reflect a troubling pattern in which official statements about the use of lethal force are later challenged by video footage, witness testimony, or subsequent investigations."
Newsweek reached out to the DHS OIG via email Wednesday morning for comment.
Official messaging around ICE agents’ use of force under President Donald Trump’s administration has been largely similar, with the DHS saying that agents have been under attack when they have fired their weapons or used other force against U.S. citizens or immigrants.
Over the past 14 months, 23 people have been shot by DHS personnel, with Martinez among three American citizen fatalities-the other two being Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January 2026. Democrats have repeatedly called for more oversight and transparency, and Minnesota this week sued the government over the latter two cases.
What Happened to Ruben Ray Martinez?
Martinez was shot in his car in South Padre Island, Texas, on March 15, 2025, but the details around his death were unclear until Newsweek reviewed DHS files released in an FOIA request by American Oversight, which stated an ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer had fired the fatal shot.
The San Antonio, Texas, native had been on a trip with his childhood friend and had approached an earlier traffic incident late on March 14, 2025, where ICE agents were assisting local law enforcement.
The documents included an account from ICE, which alleged Martinez tried to run an agent down during the traffic incident, and another fired defensive shots through the driver’s side window. Despite efforts to save his life, Martinez died later that night.
His friend, and only known civilian witness, Joshua Orta, died in a car accident in San Antonio shortly after the details of Martinez’s death were revealed. Orta said in a written statement that his friend had been spooked by officers, but had not driven at the agent and was trying to leave when the shooting happened.
Following Martinez’s death, it was reported as an officer involved shooting, but the family were largely left in the dark and repeated attempts to get answers led nowhere until the details emerged in February.
Lawmakers Want Answers From DHS
Garcia and Casar said they want the OIG to look into the actions taken that night, as well as any efforts to conceal federal agent involvement.
In their letter to the OIG, the two Democrats accused the DHS and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) of withholding information on the case and concealing ICE’s involvement. They also accused the DHS of lying about the events leading up to Martinez’s death, saying video footage from the scene did not show him rapidly accelerating toward the agent.
“The pattern of lies to cover-up DHS misconduct is well-documented,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is therefore critical that your investigation encompass the department's response to Mr. Martinez's killing, as well as the killing itself. Mr. Martinez's family and the public deserve nothing less than a complete investigation of his killing and the aftermath, including an accounting of wrongdoing by federal officials.”
Garcia and Casar also asked the OIG to respond by April 6 with answers to questions around whether the office was investigating the incident, and whether any other referrals had been made.
Other Democrats have also called for greater transparency on the case, but the DHS has insisted the incident was investigated by Texas DPS, and pointed to a grand jury’s decision not to indict the agent involved.
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This story was originally published March 25, 2026 at 11:03 AM.