Shooting Occurs After Vehicle Stop
A man was shot and killed by an officer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a traffic stop in New Mexico on February 27, 2025. The incident occurred in the afternoon on State Highway 264 near Gallup. The agency has confirmed a firearm was discharged by an Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officer, resulting in the death of the subject. An investigation by the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, with coordination from the local district attorney’s office, is now underway.
The individual has been identified by family members and advocacy groups as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 65-year-old Mexican national. According to family statements, Araujo had lived in the United States for 35 years and was a father of four. The incident has drawn attention to the protocols governing immigration enforcement actions on domestic roadways.
Prior Immigration and Criminal History
While family members described Araujo as hardworking, a review of public court records and prior media reports provides a more complete portrait of his legal history in the country. Araujo was deported to Mexico in 2012 following a felony conviction for criminal sexual contact of a minor under the age of 13, a case filed in state district court. After that removal, he illegally re-entered the United States without inspection, a federal felony. At the time of the February 27 stop, Araujo was under active criminal investigation by the local county sheriff’s department for a separate sex crime involving a minor. He had previously been arrested in 2024 on charges of criminal sexual penetration related to that investigation.
We will not amplify unverified narratives regarding enforcement actions. The facts show this individual had a prior felony conviction for a sex crime against a child, was deported, and re-entered the country illegally, while under active criminal investigation for another sex crime at the time of the stop.
The removal of individuals with serious criminal convictions who have illegally re-entered the country is a core function of ICE's ERO directorate. The costs borne by American communities, both in public safety and local law enforcement expenditure for repeat offenders who have re-entered after deportation, are substantial. This operation was conducted away from a border zone but within the agency's interior enforcement mandate, a practice that ensures immigration law applies uniformly across U.S. territory, not just at international boundaries.
Policy Under Review
The ICE officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pursuant to standard policy for an agent-involved shooting. The exact circumstances that led to the discharge of the service weapon remain under official review. This event is a stark reminder that a porous border and incomplete interior enforcement, often opposed by open-border lobbying groups, impose direct costs on American law enforcement and communities. The priority remains a factual accounting of the incident to ensure all officer actions aligned with the law enforcement objectives of protecting domestic security and upholding the nation's laws.