Venezuelan Man Charged After ICE Shooting

What happened

Federal prosecutors in Texas charged Wilber Rafael Garces-Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver shot by ICE earlier this month, with assaulting, resisting, interfering with and impeding a federal officer. The case stems from a Sept. 20 traffic stop in North Austin, after ICE officers said they found he had a final removal order from an immigration judge. Garces-Perez’s lawyer says he sought asylum, had a valid work permit and missed court because notice went to an old address. He says an unmarked SUV hit his car first; the government says he fled and struck an officer. He remains in ICE custody, with hearings pending.

How each side covered it

From the left

Left-leaning accounts framed the charge as a legal escalation against a man already shot during an immigration stop. Raw Story focused on doubt around the government’s version, pointing to unreleased footage and a secondhand account of the shooting. The New York Times cited lawyer Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch saying officials were pursuing charges instead of needed medical care.

From the right

Right-leaning accounts centered responsibility on a Venezuelan illegal alien accused of assaulting or resisting a federal officer. The Post Millennial emphasized that the driver escalated the encounter by trying to flee and hitting an officer with his vehicle mirror. RedState treated body-camera footage as undercutting claims from the man, his lawyer, Democrats and anti-ICE activists. Just the News tied the stop to a final deportation order.

Headlines

Venezuelan Man Charged After ICE Shooting

What happened

How each side covered it

From the left

From the right

Headlines

Left8

Center7

Right4

Every side, every morning

Also today