Texas Grand Jury Indicts ICE Officer in Houston Construction Worker Run-Over

A Texas grand jury has indicted an ICE officer for allegedly running over a construction worker in Houston. The charge is aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced the move on Friday. It stems from an incident on October 10.

ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales is the accused. He allegedly struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez, a 48-year-old immigrant. Parra-Hernandez has lived in Harris County for over 30 years. Teare confirmed the victim had no criminal record. Investigators say Parra-Hernandez was fleeing agents when an unmarked black Jeep Cherokee hit him. The crash occurred in a car park near Clay Road and Highway 6. He suffered multiple fractures to his right leg and an ankle injury requiring surgery.

Criminal charges against federal immigration officers remain rare during the current crackdown. Yet, this case highlights a sharp conflict between local prosecutors and federal authorities. ICE maintains that Parra-Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle. The agency dismisses claims of intentional impact as “reckless and false.” Teare rejects that narrative. He points to surveillance video that contradicts the agency’s account.

The footage shows the SUV crossing a median to pursue the victim. Another vehicle blocks the view of the actual impact. However, the man is seen on the ground moments later. Authorities released body-camera footage on Friday as well. In that recording, Morales acknowledges striking Parra-Hernandez with his vehicle.

Teare also criticized federal authorities for failing to cooperate. They removed the Jeep before local investigators could examine it. A search warrant obtained by local media reveals investigators lacked access to the vehicle as of October 23. This obstruction fuels suspicion about what the car might have revealed.

The operation’s target adds another layer of confusion. ICE stated agents were searching for Jose Mendoza-Cervantes. They believed he was traveling with Parra-Hernandez. But Mendoza-Cervantes’s daughter told The New York Times that her father died in 2017. Parra-Hernandez’s family disputes that the two men even knew each other.

This indictment arrives as the Harris County DA’s Office continues investigating another deadly incident. On July 7, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot. He was driving to work in Houston. ICE officer Gregory Feathers is accused of firing at the vehicle. Federal authorities claim the officer acted in self-defense. The surviving passengers in the car dispute that claim entirely.