Trump voter whose son, an American citizen, was killed by ICE says she ‘doesn’t blame’ the president for his dying
The mother of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by a federal immigration agent last year, is calling for reform as questions mount about the incident.
Martinez was killed by an ICE agent on South Padre Island, Texas — but the agency’s involvement in the March 15, 2025, incident wasn’t publicly disclosed until last month, CBS News reports. Now, his mother, Rachel Reyes, is seeking answers.
Reyes told CBS News she voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, and she doesn’t blame him for Martinez’s killing. But, she’s still calling on his administration to reform how immigration agents carry out their jobs.
“I don’t blame President Trump for the death of my son, ’cause he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger,” Reyes told the outlet in a Feb. 28 interview. “But I do think that something needs to be changed in that department as far as the pattern of violence or abuse and impunity.”
“I just want to know what happened, why they feel it was justified, and I honestly don’t believe that. I’m not a mother in denial,” she said. “I’m just a mother in doubt, because I know my son and I know he’s not a threat.”
Reyes told CBS News she hasn’t received footage, evidence or reports related to Martinez’s killing. She also said she takes issue with the Department of Homeland Security’s claim that “defensive shots” were fired after her son “intentionally” ran an agent over with his car.
“He was not a violent person. He was not aggressive,” she said.
When reached for comment about Martinez’s killing, an ICE spokesperson told The Independent an agent fired shots to protect himself and others.
“A driver of a blue Ford intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent resulting in him being on the hood of the vehicle. Upon witnessing this, another agent fired defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public,” the spokesperson said. “The driver was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The agent who was ran over sustained a knee injury and was taken to the hospital.”
The ICE spokesperson noted that all shootings are first reviewed by an “appropriate law enforcement agency,” after which ICE conducts an “independent review.”
CBS News reports that the DHS’ statement about the incident appears to contradict an account from Joshua Orta, who was in Martinez’s car during the fatal shooting. In a draft declaration prepared by Martinez’s lawyers and shared with the outlet, Orta said Martinez “did not hit anyone.”
However, Orta was reportedly killed in a separate car crash in February, before he could sign the document or testify in the case.
A grand jury also declined to bring criminal charges related to the shooting last month.
“This incident was investigated by the state authorities and presented to a grand jury who unanimously found no criminality,” the ICE spokesperson said.
Martinez is now believed to be the first known American citizen fatally shot by federal immigration agents during Trump’s second term, according to The Washington Post.
News of his killing comes after federal agents in Minneapolis fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti during separate incidents earlier this year. Their killings sparked nationwide protests and widespread calls for reform.
The Texas Department of Public Safety, which is investigating the incident, told CBS News the agency has completed its review and plans to release more information later Friday.
The Independent has contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety for comment.
Source: independent.co.uk
