SAN ANTONIO – On a spirited Friday afternoon, dozens of individuals gathered outside San Antonio City Hall to voice their opposition against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The demonstration was further fueled by the recent shooting of 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin on September 20.
Organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation San Antonio, protesters condemned the shooting as unjust and demanded the removal of ICE from Texas communities. “We want ICE out of our communities, ICE out of Texas,” declared protester Destiny Pena, emphasizing the urgent need for change.
According to Perez’s attorney, the young man was working as a food delivery driver when he was shot by an immigration officer. The incident has raised numerous questions regarding the circumstances leading up to the encounter and the medical treatment Perez received while in custody.
In a statement released after the shooting, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the officers involved, asserting that “resisting officers and evading arrest is dangerous for our officers, illegal aliens, and the public.” However, Pena countered these claims, stating, “Seeking a better life is not a crime.”
Mullin also referred to Perez as “an illegal alien who has no legal status to be here,” suggesting that the medical care he received while detained was among the best he had experienced. Protesters rejected this framing, arguing that immigration status should not dictate the level of humane treatment an individual receives.
“There’s no need for the kind of violent escalation that we’ve seen from ICE across the country,” stated protester Soren, highlighting the broader implications of ICE’s tactics. Another protestor, Preston Wood, voiced his frustration: “We are sick and tired of the suffering that the administration is putting immigrants, our sisters and brothers through. We represent millions of people who are disgusted by the racism and attempts to divide and hurt.”
Don Khan, reflecting on the current state of the country, expressed concern about the critical juncture America is facing. “We are really in serious, serious trouble. This country needs to recognize, to realize, we’re at a crossroads,” he warned.
The protesters conveyed a unified message: they seek dignity and safety for everyone. “We’re human beings,” Pena reiterated. “We all want the same things. We want a life of dignity.”
The protest also addressed concerns regarding a new ICE detention facility slated to open on San Antonio’s East Side. Activists from both San Antonio and Austin have pledged to continue their protests in honor of Perez and against the facility’s development. A town hall meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, at 2404 E. Houston St., organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation San Antonio, which asserts that “San Antonio must be the next city to STOP the development of the proposed East Side Detention Center!”
Additionally, there is an “ICE Out of Texas” day of action planned for Sunday, September 27, at 2 p.m. at Anderson Square & Research in Austin, furthering the movement against ICE’s presence in Texas.
