{"id":2583791,"date":"2026-03-25T17:32:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T21:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-democrats-demand-inquiry-into-ruben-ray-martinezs-death\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T17:35:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T21:35:58","slug":"house-democrats-demand-inquiry-into-ruben-ray-martinezs-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-democrats-demand-inquiry-into-ruben-ray-martinezs-death\/","title":{"rendered":"House Democrats demand inquiry into Ruben Ray Martinez&#8217;s death"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhouse-democrats-demand-inquiry-into-ruben-ray-martinezs-death%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2583791&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Two House Democrats are urging teh trump management to authorize an self-reliant investigation into the death of Ruben Ray Martinez, a Texas man killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer last year. Reps. Greg Casar (D-TX) and Robert Garcia (D-CA) wrote to the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) inspector general, alleging that DHS and Texas investigators withheld basic facts, concealed ICE\u2019s involvement, and lied about the circumstances surrounding the shooting. They asked for a briefing by april 6 and pressed for an independent review of the case, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hawley-demands-biden-release-autopen-consent-records-or-face-subpoena\/\" title=\"Hawley demands Biden release autopen consent records or face subpoena\">amid broader scrutiny<\/a> of ICE&#8217;s use of lethal force.<\/p>\n<p>Martinez died after approaching a scene where ICE was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sanctuary-cities-wont-cooperate-so-trump-sent-ice-to-these-cities\/\" title=\"Sanctuary cities won&#039;t cooperate so ... sent ... to these cities\">assisting local law enforcement<\/a> on March 14, 2025, on south Padre Island. DHS has said Martinez intentionally rammed an ICE Homeland Security Investigations officer, prompting others to fire in defense. Critics have cited body-camera footage and other materials, arguing the shooting may have been unnecessary. A draft affidavit from the passenger in Martinez\u2019s car claims the vehicle was crawling and that Martinez did not hit an officer, contradicting ICE\u2019s account. An incident report from ICE described the car as accelerating and striking an agent. A Texas grand jury later declined to indict; the passenger, Joshua Orta, died in a car crash before any indictment.<\/p>\n<p>Martinez\u2019s mother learned from Texas Rangers that videos existed contradicting the official account, and her lawyers say the footage shows Martinez\u2019s car was barely moving, he was braking, and the officer fired at close range without warning. Critics view the case as part of a pattern of contested official statements and stronger scrutiny of ICE\u2019s use of force.<\/p>\n<p>The article also notes related political context, including a prior rejection by Trump of a Senate GOP proposal related to ICE funding, and mentions ongoing controversy over ICE-related fatalities and investigations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">House Democrats demand investigation of DHS &lsquo;lies&rsquo; in Ruben Ray Martinez&rsquo;s death<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2542224\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Two <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/house\/\">House<\/a> Democratic lawmakers this week requested that the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"339\">Trump administration<\/a> approve an independent investigation into the death of Ruben Ray Martinez, a Texan who was killed by an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\" type=\"link\" id=\"washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> officer last year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In a letter to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3083\">Department of Homeland Security&rsquo;s<\/a> inspector general, Reps. Greg Casar (D-TX) and Robert Garcia (D-CA) alleged that DHS and Texas investigators&nbsp;&ldquo;withheld basic facts of the case, concealed ICE&rsquo;s involvement in the shooting, and lied about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4503156\/new-bipartisan-bill-targets-congressional-trading-political-prediction-markets\/\">New <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bipartisan-bill-bans-congress-from-trading-on-prediction-markets\/\" title=\"Bipartisan bill bans Congress from trading on prediction markets\">bipartisan bill targets congressional trading<\/a> on political prediction markets<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4502969\/house-extends-ban-democrats-forcing-oversight-votes-trump-administration\/\">House extends ban on Democrats forcing oversight votes on Trump administration<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4502970\/doj-inquiry-former-cia-director-john-brennan-classified-transcripts\/\">DOJ inquiry into John Brennan intensifies after House sends classified transcripts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The pattern of lies to cover up DHS misconduct is well-documented,&rdquo; the lawmakers wrote on Tuesday. &ldquo;DHS&rsquo;s repeated lies and omissions about the shooting of Mr. Martinez reflect a troubling pattern in which official statements about the use of lethal force are later challenged by video footage, witness testimony, or subsequent investigations.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Garcia and Casar, who both sit on the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the House oversight committee, requested a briefing from the inspector general&rsquo;s office on the matter by April 6. The development comes as ICE has been under sweeping scrutiny for a series of deadly shootings involving U.S. citizens in recent months. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota have been among those critics say mark the agency&rsquo;s tendency to escalate sensitive situations by deploying unnecessary lethal force.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Martinez died hours after he approached the scene of a traffic incident in which ICE officers were assisting local <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/police-and-law-enforcement\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"401\">law enforcement<\/a> on March 14, 2025.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>DHS, which oversees ICE, has said Martinez intentionally rammed his vehicle into an ICE Homeland Security Investigations officer, justifying the fatal shooting of the U.S. citizen on South Padre Island. The DHS claimed&nbsp;Martinez &ldquo;intentionally ran over&rdquo; an HSI special agent, provoking another agent to fire &ldquo;defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Critics have called the determination into question, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >citing recently released body camera footage<\/a>, among other concerns. Attorneys for Martinez&rsquo;s family have pointed to a draft affidavit from the passenger, Joshua Orta, in the car with Martinez when he was shot, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fox5sandiego.com\/news\/world-news\/ap-international\/ap-texas-grand-jury-rejects-indictments-in-fatal-shooting-of-us-citizen-by-federal-immigration-agent\/\">according to <\/a>KUSI News. In a lengthy statement given to lawyers, Orta said the car was &ldquo;crawling,&rdquo; that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/fox5sandiego.com\/news\/world-news\/ap-international\/ap-texas-grand-jury-rejects-indictments-in-fatal-shooting-of-us-citizen-by-federal-immigration-agent\/\">Martinez did not hit an officer<\/a> with his vehicle, and that a federal agent fired into the car without &ldquo;giving any warning, commands, or opportunity to comply.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>ICE&rsquo;s incident report claimed the vehicle &ldquo;accelerated forward&rdquo; and struck an HSI special agent, &ldquo;who wound up on the hood of the vehicle.&rdquo; A Texas grand jury declined last month to bring indictments in the case. Orta died in a car crash shortly before the jury rejected criminal charges.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Rachel Reyes said she first learned her son had been shot by a federal officer, rather than local police, about a week after he was killed, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/texas-us-citizen-fatally-shot-immigration-agent-martinez-rcna260030\">according to<\/a> NBC News. She was contacted by an investigator from the Texas Rangers, who she said told her there were videos of the shooting that contradicted the account provided by federal agents.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4500585\/trump-rejects-senate-gop-proposal-punt-ice-funding\/\"><strong>TRUMP REJECTS SENATE GOP PROPOSAL TO PUNT ICE FUNDING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, footage of the incident became publicized, with Martinez&rsquo;s family arguing that they proved DHS exaggerated the danger the 23-year-old posed and responded to the incident with unnecessary force.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These new videos confirm that Ruben&rsquo;s car was barely moving when he was shot. That he was braking, not accelerating. That nobody was on the hood of his car. That nobody was in front of his car when he was shot. That he was shot at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/footage-released-of-violent-myanmar-protests-after-at-least-38-people-killed\/\" title=\"Footage Released Of Violent Myanmar Protests After At Least 38 People Killed\">point-blank range<\/a> through his side window by an ICE agent who was in no danger,&rdquo; the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/bodycam-video-ice-fatal-shooting-ruben-ray-martinez-texas\/\">family&rsquo;s lawyers told<\/a> CBS.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats push probe into DHS &#8216;lies&#8217; in Martinez death<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2583792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26066013643869.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[6499,33723,8271,3976,76534],"class_list":["post-2583791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-death","tag-house-democrats","tag-inquiry","tag-investigation","tag-ruben-ray-martinez"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26066013643869.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2583791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2583791"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2583791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2583795,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2583791\/revisions\/2583795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2583792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2583791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2583791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2583791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}