ICE agent accused of hitting an immigrant with his vehicle to turn himself in to justice in Houston

Automatically translated from Spanish. Read the original in Spanish

Mario Alberto Morales, who serves as an agent for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, is scheduled to turn himself in to judicial authorities this Monday. The agent faces a formal charge for a felony of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, after having hit a Mexican man with his vehicle in the city of Houston. The indictment was issued last Friday by a grand jury, which marks a significant step in the legal process against the federal official.

The incident that gave rise to this case occurred on October 10, when Morales, driving an unmarked SUV, was pursuing Miguel Parra Hernández. The victim, a 48-year-old construction worker, was struck by the vehicle while attempting to flee on foot through a parking lot. As a result of the collision, Parra suffered a broken leg and is currently in the process of recovery at a rehabilitation center, although he remains in federal custody, according to Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare.

The agent’s defense, represented by attorney David Lindenmuth, has maintained from the beginning that it was all an accident and has criticized the actions of local authorities, arguing that they have invented a crime where there is none. For its part, ICE has maintained a different position, asserting that it was Parra himself who ran in front of Morales’ vehicle. However, the records and evidence presented by the prosecution offer a more detailed version of what happened that day in Houston.

The Harris County police report details that Parra stated he fled the traffic stop because Morales began to put on a mask, at which point the agent allegedly drove the vehicle into him. In the footage from Morales’ body camera, presented by District Attorney Teare, the agent is seen making abrupt maneuvers with the steering wheel before stopping, getting out of the unit, and heading toward the victim, who was on the ground screaming. In that same material, Morales is heard admitting to another ICE colleague that he was entering the area and hit the man with the car.

The context of the operation has also generated controversy, as ICE reported that they were looking for a subject identified as José Mendoza Cervantes, who had supposedly gotten into Parra’s car. However, Mendoza Cervantes’ daughter stated to the immigrant rights group FIEL that her father passed away nearly a decade ago. This case adds to the list of federal agents criminally charged for injuring civilians during immigration operations, a phenomenon that has been subject to public scrutiny.

Regarding the profile of Morales, 33, it is known that he has worked for ICE for just over a year. District Attorney Teare mentioned that there are records regarding the agent that, in his view, should not allow someone to be hired by a law enforcement agency, although he did not offer specific details. It is known that in 2013, Morales faced charges for the theft of four DVDs, which were dismissed after paying a $270 fine and reaching a plea agreement.

In his political facet, Morales attempted to represent Texas’ 34th congressional district during the 2024 election cycle under the name Bam Morales. In his candidate questionnaires, he highlighted his prior service in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and his work as a correctional officer. Likewise, the agent participated in a Christian conference organized by televangelist Johnson Suleman, where he served as a Spanish translator during an event focused on providing support to migrants. Now, Morales’ legal future will depend on what happens after his voluntary surrender in court this Monday, while the case continues to attract attention due to the nature of the accusations and the individual’s history.