Castro Statement on Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez
Pearsall, TX — Today, staff from the Office of Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) shared the following statement on behalf of Congressman Castro, after members of his staff and Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) visited Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez at the South Texas ICE Processing Center (STIPC) in Pearsall, Texas:
"My apologies for not being with you today. An hours-long flight delay kept me from joining Congressman Casar in visiting Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez. As the Congressman for Austin, Wilber's home, Greg's unyielding pursuit of truth and justice in this matter has been admirable. Thank you, Congressman, for that work.
“ICE's treatment of Wilber thus far has amounted to torture. That is not an exaggeration in this case. After being shot in the back and handcuffed without first aid, he was allowed to stay in the hospital for only a few hours before being taken to a detention center while in excruciating pain and made to lie on the floor. The medical facilities at the South Texas ICE Processing Center (STIPC) in Pearsall are not equipped to handle a patient who has experienced that kind of trauma. ICE knew this but took him there anyway. It got so bad that he had to be taken back to the hospital, but again he was allowed to remain only hours before being returned to STIPC. He told ICE agents about his excruciating pain and told them that he could no longer move the left side of his body. Yet they let him suffer with their bullet still in his body.
“This immigrant man, a Venezuelan, fled a regime that President Trump himself declared a terrorist one, just as millions of Venezuelans have fled over the past several years. He had permission to enter the United States and to work. And that's what he was doing when ICE shot him in the back, delivering food for DoorDash to support himself and his family. In fact, he told my staff that he had been working in the area for quite some time and that all the restaurants in the area know him. He also asked my staff to tell his wife and mother that he was doing okay, as not to worry them. This is who ICE is targeting.
“ICE has shot and killed people before, including U.S. citizens, and lied about it. They have discredited themselves. There must be an independent investigation, and the ICE officers who shot Wilber in the back should be held accountable. Finally, this system known as ICE, which has allowed a man to be tortured, should be disbanded.”