DHS Agent Kills US Citizen in Texas in 2025

Records show federal immigration agent shot and killed 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez during a traffic incident in March 2025.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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According to records obtained by the nonprofit watchdog group American Oversight, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agent shot and killed 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez, a U.S. citizen, in South Padre Island, Texas in March 2025. The records show the agent was conducting immigration enforcement and fired multiple rounds at Martinez, who allegedly hit another DHS agent with his car as the agents were assisting local police with traffic control following an accident. Martinez's family is calling for a full investigation into the incident.

Why it matters

This appears to be the first known instance of a U.S. citizen being killed during the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration enforcement. The mounting death toll from these incidents has increased scrutiny on the administration's aggressive immigration policies and tactics used by federal agents.

The details

According to the records, DHS agents were conducting immigration enforcement and assisting local police with traffic control in South Padre Island, Texas on March 15, 2025 when the incident occurred. Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, allegedly hit another DHS agent with his car, and in response, a DHS agent fired multiple rounds at Martinez, killing him. Martinez was taken to a hospital in nearby Brownsville, Texas where he was pronounced dead. The DHS agent who was hit by the car went to the hospital for a knee injury and was later released.

  • On March 15, 2025, the incident occurred in South Padre Island, Texas.

The players

Ruben Ray Martinez

A 23-year-old U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by a DHS agent in March 2025.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The federal agency whose agent shot and killed Ruben Ray Martinez during an immigration enforcement operation.

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What they’re saying

“Ruben's family has been pursuing transparency and accountability for nearly a year now and will continue to do so for as long as it takes.”

— Charles Stam and Alex Stamm, Attorneys for Martinez's family

What’s next

The nearly year-old incident is under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division.

The takeaway

This tragic incident highlights the need for greater oversight and accountability around the use of force by federal immigration agents, especially when it results in the death of a U.S. citizen. It also underscores the human toll of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown.