ICYMI: Murray Releases Video Calling for an Independent Investigation in Response to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s killing
Sen. Murray Calls for an Independent Investigation; Demands ICE Release all the Footage Related to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s Filling
*** WATCH HERE***
Washington, D.C. – In response to the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a video statement demanding that ICE release all of the footage related to this tragedy and calling for an independent investigation. In the video, Senator Murray draws attention to the fact that ICE has provided no evidence to back up its dubious claims that the officer fired in response to Salgado Araujo “weaponizing his vehicle” and the agency has a history of lying about using extreme force against innocent civilians.
*** Watch here***
Senator Murray has spoken out forcefully and consistently against the Trump administration’s cruel and counterproductive mass deportation campaign and the egregious treatment by ICE and DHS of American citizens, legal immigrants, and undocumented immigrants. As Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, she led Democrats’ efforts fighting tooth and nail to secure meaningful reforms in law to rein in ICE and Border Patrol—which Republicans ultimately refused altogether and chose to skirt Democrats by delivering another massive blank check for the agencies with no accountability. Last month, at a Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the FY27 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—Murray pressed Secretary Markwayne Mullin on the conduct of ICE and Border Patrol and Republicans’ refusal to enact reforms into law.
In March, Senator Murray released a video about the numerous violent shootings we are seeing from Trump’s reckless ICE and CBP agents across the country—and the urgent need to rein in these rogue agencies. Senator Murray highlighted the stories of Marimar Martinez, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, Carlos Jimenez, Francisco Longoria, and Carlitos Ricardo Parias—all of whom were shot by ICE or CBP agents. Throughout the video, Senator Murray calls out the egregious use of force from federal agents, their lies that don’t hold up in court, and the extreme danger they are putting families and communities in by recklessly using firearms. Senator Murray also called out Republicans for refusing to negotiate serious and common sense measures to rein in ICE and CBP.
In December 2025, Murray called attention to the violent assault of Wilmer Toledo-Martinez in Vancouver, Washington and she successfully advocated for his release from the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC). Wilmer was lured out of his home under false pretenses, violently detained by federal agents, and mauled by an attack dog despite not resisting arrest or attempting to flee. Not long after, Murray also called attention to the case of Jose Paniagua Calderón, whose foot was run over by agents in Vancouver.
In November 2025, Senator Murray joined 48 of her colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives in introducing the Restoring Access to Detainees Act, which would mandate that DHS allow people who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families. In February 2025, Senator Murray signed onto a letter demanding that DHS end wrongful searches and interrogations of Tribal members, and continued to push for answers from DHS on the matter last December. In March 2025, Murray also reintroduced her Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act. She and Senator Richard Blumenthal led 27 of their Senate colleagues last year in a letter expressing concern with prevalence and the treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in ICE detention.
In Washington state, Senator Murray has been conducting oversight of the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC), despite the Trump administration’s efforts to block Congressional oversight of federal immigration detention facilities. After a protracted legal battle over Washington state’s ability to enforce health and safety standards at NWIPC, a federal appeals court ruled in August 2025 that the state should be allowed to enforce such standards at the detention center, and that failure to comply could result in fines of up to $10,000 per violation. In December 2025, Senator Murray led Members of the Washington state Congressional delegation in a letter to Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons expressing grave concerns with conditions at NWIPC in Tacoma, Washington and demanding answers to a long list of questions regarding overcrowding and lack of access to medical services, food, and legal counsel for individuals detained at the facility.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“That is Ronaldo Salgado. On Tuesday morning, an ICE agent shot and killed his father, Lorenzo—a construction worker with no criminal history who spent 35 years in Houston building homes and raising three American sons.
“Now here is ICE’s version: they say Lorenzo ‘weaponized his vehicle,’ so an agent fired in self-defense.
“Of course, ICE has provided no evidence to back up its claims. And we know ICE lies. How? That is almost word-for-word what DHS said after a federal agent shot Carlitos Parias in Los Angeles—right up until the body cam footage showed the agent’s gun went off while officers were smashing in his windows, and a judge threw the whole case out.
“It is the same story they told about Marimar Martinez in Chicago—until the video showed the agent was the one doing the ramming.
“Look, we saw the videos of officers killing Renée Good and Alex Pretti.
“We know that ICE lies. Yet Republicans still refuse to require ICE to follow the same basic rules your local police follow every single day.
“That is what Democrats are fighting for—and it should not be a fight.
“I’m still pushing for accountability in the law, but I am also demanding an independent investigation and that ICE release all of the footage related to Lorenzo’s killing.
“We also need to hear from the witnesses at the scene they detained and shipped to God knows where.
“If you’re wondering what you can do, you need to understand that your voice matters here. When America spoke up for Alex Pretti and Renée Good, Republicans felt the pressure.
“Keep sharing Ronaldo’s words. Use your voice and use your vote. We do not have to accept this as our new normal.”
###