The Texas Tribune reports that a Harris County grand jury indicted ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, his vehicle, over an Oct. 10 pursuit in Houston. District Attorney Sean Teare said body camera and surveillance footage show Morales swerving toward a 48-year-old man running through a parking lot and striking him. Teare said two handcuffed people were in the back seat of the SUV at the time, and Sheriff Ed Gonzalez called that very concerning. If convicted, Morales faces two to 20 years in prison, Teare said. An ICE spokesperson called the indictment a political stunt and said claims of intentional striking are false. The top federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Texas called it a political prosecution and said he sees no need for federal charges.
Why it matters
The case is a state criminal prosecution of a federal immigration agent, and the indictment is an accusation that has not been tested at trial. Federal officials dispute the charge and say no federal prosecution is warranted.
Charged: Prosecutors filed criminal charges. A charge is not proof of guilt, and the person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.