Executive Summary
- Records obtained by American Oversight reveal a previously undisclosed fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by an ICE agent in March 2025.
- Joshua Orta, the lone civilian witness to the shooting, died in a car crash in San Antonio shortly before the records were publicized.
- DHS claims the agent fired in self-defense after being struck by a vehicle, while the witness claimed the shooting was unprovoked.
- The Texas Rangers are currently leading the investigation into the use-of-force incident.
A fatal shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and an American citizen in March 2025 was not publicly disclosed until a government watchdog organization released records this week. The revelation regarding the death of 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez in South Padre Island, Texas, comes days after the sole civilian witness to the incident died in a separate vehicular crash.
According to documents obtained by American Oversight through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent shot and killed Martinez on March 15, 2025. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had not previously issued a public statement regarding the incident. Following the release of the records, DHS confirmed the shooting to media outlets, stating that HSI agents were assisting the South Padre Island Police Department with traffic control when the driver of a vehicle allegedly "intentionally ran over" an agent, prompting the agent to fire in self-defense.
Joshua Orta, 25, who was a passenger in Martinez’s vehicle during the 2025 incident, provided a conflicting account prior to his death. In a statement provided to the Martinez family’s legal counsel, Orta alleged that the pair was attempting to turn their vehicle around when an agent approached and fired into the window without issuing warnings or commands. Orta died on Saturday in San Antonio after losing control of his vehicle and striking a utility pole, according to reports from the San Antonio Police Department cited by local media.
The discrepancy between the official federal account and the witness statement has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers. U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) publicly questioned the handling of the case, suggesting that video evidence may contradict the agency’s version of events. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed that the Texas Rangers are actively investigating the officer-involved shooting but declined to provide specific details while the probe is active.
It is important to note that the investigation into the use of force remains active, and no criminal charges have been filed against the federal agents involved. All individuals and officials are presumed to act within the scope of the law until proven otherwise in a court of law.
Investigative Outlook
The delayed disclosure of this use-of-force incident highlights critical gaps in transparency regarding federal law enforcement operations within local jurisdictions. The death of the primary civilian witness significantly complicates the ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers, potentially limiting the inquiry to forensic ballistics and body-camera footage, if available. Legal analysts suggest this case may prompt a review of notification protocols between DHS and state authorities to ensure timely public accountability in future officer-involved shootings.
