Rep. Menefee Joins Congressional Leaders in Houston to Demand Answers in the Killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo
HOUSTON, TX — Yesterday, Congressman Christian D. Menefee (TX-18) joined Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and 7 additional Members of Congress from across the country for a congressional hearing in Houston examining the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Held at the Harris County Commissioners Court, right in Congressman Menefee’s district, the hearing brought Lorenzo's family, local officials, faith leaders, legal experts, and community advocates together to examine ICE's use of deadly force, the agency's lack of transparency, and the urgent need for accountability following Lorenzo's death.
Congressman Menefee questioned Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare about ICE agents' failure to wear body cameras during the fatal encounter, highlighting what both agreed is a striking departure from modern law enforcement practices.
Rep. Menefee: "Throughout your career, you've worked on thousands of cases involving local law enforcement, correct?"
District Attorney Sean Teare: "Yes."
Rep. Menefee: "It's standard practice in 2026 for law enforcement officers on the street to wear body cameras, correct?"
District Attorney Sean Teare: "Congressman, you and I have been in this very room talking about things like this. We have 86 law enforcement agencies that operate in Harris County alone. The only one that doesn't have body cameras is ICE."
Following the hearing, Congressman Menefee condemned the agency's lack of accountability.
"This is an agency that needs to be torn down to the studs and rebuilt into one that enforces immigration law while recognizing the dignity of every person it encounters," said Congressman Menefee. "We all know that won't happen under this Administration, and it won't happen under this Republican-controlled Congress."
Congressman Menefee also emphasized that meaningful oversight will require a change in congressional leadership, stating that if Democrats regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives after the November midterm elections, one of their first priorities will be conducting a full congressional investigation into the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and other deaths involving ICE agents since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025.
Since Lorenzo's death, Congressman Menefee has repeatedly called for the immediate release of all unedited evidence, including body camera and dash camera footage, demanded an independent investigation into the shooting, and pushed for transparency and accountability for Lorenzo's family and the Houston community.
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