US judge blocks deportation of DoorDash driver shot by ICE

A federal judge has temporarily halted the deportation of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a DoorDash delivery driver who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Austin, Texas. Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, was reportedly making deliveries when an encounter with ICE agents led to him being shot, with the bullet still lodged near his spine. He was subsequently transferred from a hospital to an ICE detention center.

His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, confirmed that the federal judge granted an emergency request to block his removal, ordering his presence at an upcoming hearing scheduled for September 30. Garces Perez's legal team has filed a federal lawsuit and is also pursuing a U-visa, which is available to crime victims assisting law enforcement.

The incident reportedly occurred on a Sunday, when Garces Perez claims an unmarked car sideswiped him before agents shot him in the back of the neck. While ICE asserts there was a foot chase, Garces Perez denies this. His attorneys argue that his existing deportation order stemmed from a missed court hearing for which he never received proper notification, as the notice was sent to an incorrect address.