Witness in ICE Operation Where a Mexican Died in Texas Released
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
HOUSTON – José Trinidad Rojas Pliego, a key witness in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation related to the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was released on July 29, just hours before a federal judge's deadline for his release. The decision was made by a federal judge who determined that the government did not justify keeping Rojas Pliego in immigration custody without an individual assessment of whether he posed a flight risk or danger to the community. According to Telemundo Houston, Rojas Pliego was released around noon at an undisclosed location. His attorneys stated that after regaining his freedom, he returned to the site of the operation where Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed. Rojas Pliego had been in ICE custody for three weeks since the July 7 operation, when federal agents intercepted the vehicle he was traveling in with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and others on their way to work. During that incident, agents fired at the vehicle, resulting in the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. The court order mandated that federal authorities release him within 48 hours, return his personal belongings, notify his attorneys in advance about the time and place of his release, and release him in a public location. After his release, Rojas Pliego's attorneys reported that the government filed a request related to the habeas corpus petition that led to the court order. The defense indicated they would respond in court and noted that federal authorities did not provide prior notification of the release, as required by the ruling. The order was issued after Rojas Pliego's defense filed a habeas corpus petition, a legal mechanism to challenge the legality of his detention. According to his federal attorney, the judge considered that Rojas Pliego has lived in the United States since 1998, has no criminal record, and has a wife and children who are U.S. citizens. The other two witnesses in the case remain in ICE custody, and their legal proceedings are still pending. Attorneys believe Rojas Pliego's release could set an important precedent for those cases. A press conference is expected from his legal representatives on Wednesday.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
