Venezuelan driver shot by ICE in Texas undergoes bullet removal surgery

Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan delivery driver, underwent surgery on Thursday to remove a bullet that had been lodged near his spine since September 20. The injury occurred during an operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Austin, Texas.

Conflicting accounts exist regarding the incident. Federal authorities state that Garces Perez attempted to strike an officer with his vehicle's side mirror while trying to evade arrest, prompting the officer to fire. Garces Perez maintains that he was struck by a law enforcement SUV and spun around before being shot. Notably, the federal officer involved was not wearing a body camera during the encounter.

Garces Perez remains in federal custody and faces charges of assault, resistance, obstruction, and impeding a federal agent, which could carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. His legal team, including the Texas Civil Rights Project, has criticized the charges as retaliatory. The incident has triggered protests in Austin against the immigration enforcement policies and agent conduct under the administration of President Donald Trump.