Advocacy groups call out ICE amid the killing of two fathers

Immigrant advocacy groups are organizing a National Day of Action to take place on July 18 after the shooting and killing of two fathers this month at the hands of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. 

Organizers with the Party for Socialism and Liberation and other groups are asking on social media to rise up against ICE after the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo (52) in Houston and Joan Sebastian Guerrero (26) in Maine. 

In a post on X, the Party for Socialism and Liberation said these deaths are not accidental.  

“After the people of Minnesota organized strikes and shutdowns to drive out Operation Metro Surge, ICE tried for several months to “stay out of the headlines.” But ICE’s overall aggressive and violent approach has continued with new tactics, and now a massive budget. Every Congressperson who has voted for ICE funding is responsible for these crimes. ICE may have pulled the trigger but they handed them the guns,” said the organization in a statement. 

ICE detains an average of 2,000 individuals each day, but according to the New York Times, that number has recently surged up to 5,000. 

U.S. Congressional Representatives like Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25) have also expressed concern over the killings and are pushing to hold ICE accountable for the killings. 

“This has to change. Federal agents should have the same basic accountability standards as local police,” Ruiz said in a press release on Tuesday.  

Organizers of the National Day of Action said the action will be in the name of Joan, Lorenzo, Alex Pretti, Renee Nicole Good, Jaime Alanis, Keith Porter and other victims of ICE on Saturday, July 18.