ICE releases witness in fatal Lorenzo Salgado Araujo shooting after federal judge's order

CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A federal judge ruled that Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, one of the three men who were in the van with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo when he was shot and killed by an ICE agent, is to be released from the immigration detention center in Conroe. [ABC13 Eyewitness News]

A federal judge ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to free Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, one of three men present during a deadly ICE shooting in the Houston area last month. The magistrate issued the release directive Monday with instructions that authorities complete the action within 48 hours. Rojas Pliego had been held at an ICE processing facility in Conroe following the July 7 incident in Magnolia Park, where an agent fatally shot another occupant of the van, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.

The judge's decision centered on constitutional protections, determining that Rojas Pliego's Fifth Amendment rights guaranteeing due process had been compromised during his detention. Court filings indicated the magistrate found merit in arguments presented by Rojas Pliego's legal representatives regarding the lawfulness of his continued incarceration. The facility where Rojas Pliego was confined no longer requires bond hearings before detaining individuals, a procedural change that has affected the processing center's operations in Montgomery County.

According to his attorney, Raed Gonzalez, Rojas Pliego has no prior criminal convictions and had never encountered federal law enforcement before the van incident. "His family is traumatized as well. They saw the videos of (Lorenzo Salgado Araujo) dying on the floor, and suddenly their father, their husband, breadwinner is detained," Gonzalez stated. The attorney emphasized the emotional toll the detention and circumstances surrounding the shooting have inflicted on Rojas Pliego's relatives and their eagerness to reunite with him.

Rojas Pliego has filed a petition for a U visa, a specialized visa category for crime victims who cooperate with law enforcement. The judge acknowledged that resolving his immigration case could span several years. The court ordered ICE to notify Rojas Pliego's attorney a minimum of three hours before any potential future apprehension, though his legal team remains concerned about possible re-detention.

The two other men detained alongside Rojas Pliego have not received release orders despite their attorneys submitting comparable petitions to the court. Gonzalez explained the inconsistency by noting that judges evaluate detention cases individually with varying outcomes. He also highlighted what he characterized as a problematic pattern affecting immigration enforcement, referencing instances where individuals—including some holding U.S. citizenship—faced repeated detentions despite prior releases.