The Harris County District Attorney's Office announced the indictment of ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales. He was charged with second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which under Texas law is a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison. The charge stems from a crash with a man in early October in northwest Harris County. Officials said Morales was hired by ICE in August 2025 as part of a surge of hires. The District Attorney's Office said it has not received any training records for him.
At a news conference, prosecutors showed body camera video of the incident and played a 911 call. Morales allegedly ran over Miguel Parra Hernandez. The video shows Hernandez on the ground, screaming, according to the office.
An ICE spokesperson said the case is a political stunt by Houston sanctuary politicians. The spokesperson said only federal agencies can investigate federal officers acting in the course of their duties, and called the claim that ICE struck Parra-Hernandez intentionally reckless and false. A statement from the office of U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz criticized the District Attorney for not bringing charges sooner in a July shooting.