A fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Texas is drawing renewed scrutiny after the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that a federal officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen last year, a detail that only surfaced months later through public-records requests.
The case centers on Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, who was shot and killed on March 15, 2025, in South Padre Island, Texas. At the time, the involvement of a unit from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations division was not publicly disclosed.
New details emerged later through internal ICE records obtained by watchdog group American Oversight through a Freedom of Information Act request and reviewed by Newsweek.
According to DHS, HSI agents were assisting the South Padre Island Police Department following a major accident.
“A driver of a blue Ford intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent resulting in him being on the hood of the vehicle. Upon witnessing this, another agent fired defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public,” a spokesperson for the agency said.
“The driver was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The agent who was ran over sustained a knee injury and was taken to the hospital.”
Newsweek reported that the agency’s account has not been independently verified.
The delayed disclosure of federal involvement has raised questions about transparency around the use of force by immigration authorities.
Dan Gooding and Billal Rahman of Newsweek say the confirmation itself significantly clarified what happened.
“Based on our reporting, DHS’ confirmation gave us clarity that a federal agent shot and killed a U.S. citizen around 10 months before Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti died in Minneapolis in January,” they told The Wyoming Star.
“Before their confirmation, details about ICE and Homeland Security Investigations’ involvement were not known, and this key information only surfaced through records requests rather than immediate public statements.”
They added that the confirmation also clarified DHS’ official narrative of the incident.
“The confirmation clarified that a federal agent fired the fatal shots which killed Ruben Ray Martinez and outlined DHS’ position that the agent acted defensively after being struck by a vehicle, but those details have not been independently verified.”
The shooting is now part of a broader debate about oversight and transparency in federal law-enforcement incidents involving immigration agencies.
According to Gooding and Rahman, one of the most notable issues uncovered during reporting was the gap between the incident itself and the public acknowledgment of federal involvement.
“In investigating this case, one of the most significant transparency gaps we identified was the delay in clear public acknowledgment of federal involvement,” they said.
“ICE or HSI participation was not widely detailed at the time of the shooting, unlike the two cases in Minnesota.”
Even basic information surrounding the incident remains unclear.
“It remains unclear whether body-worn camera footage exists and when any such evidence might be released, and a state-level investigation has concluded with a grand jury declining to indict the agent involved.”
They noted that the federal response to the shooting also mirrors messaging used in other recent incidents involving immigration enforcement.
“Compared to previous federal law enforcement shootings, DHS’ defense echoes similar messages given following Good’s death, and the department’s claim that assaults towards agents have risen sharply over the past year, without being able to provide enough data or evidence to back up the claims.”
The Martinez case is unfolding against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement campaign.
Advocates say the incident raises wider questions about how force is used in immigration-related operations, especially when U.S. citizens are involved.
For Gooding and Rahman, the case also highlights the possibility that other incidents may have gone largely unnoticed.
“This case raises questions about whether other similar incidents have gone unreported, both to the media and lawmakers, and whether DHS is seeking to be as transparent as possible on agents’ use of force, particularly towards Americans.”
“More broadly, it fits into the ongoing debate around the methods the Trump administration is using to enforce immigration laws.”
Martinez’s family has been seeking answers since the shooting. His mother, Rachel Reyes, described the year following his death as marked by uncertainty and silence.
“Since Ruben’s death a year ago, all we have wanted is justice for him and we have struggled with the silence surrounding his killing. Now, the country is in crisis – and, terribly, heartbreakingly, other families are enduring what we have.”
“It’s my hope that attention being raised now into Ruben’s death will help bring the justice we want for him and the answers we haven’t had.”
Attorneys for the family say key questions remain unresolved.
“Ruben’s family has been pursuing transparency and accountability for nearly a year now and will continue to do so for as long as it takes. It is critical that there is a full and fair investigation into why HSI was present at the scene of a traffic collision and why a federal officer shot and killed a US citizen as he was trying to comply with instructions from the local law enforcement officers directing traffic,” Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm, attorneys for the family of Ruben Ray Martinez, told Newsweek via email.
The case remains under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Ranger Division.
“I can confirm that this is an ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers, and no other information is available at this time,” Christopher Olivarez, spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety, told Newsweek.
Newsweek has also filed records requests seeking incident reports, investigative findings and any video related to the shooting.
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