HOUSTON — A Houston construction worker was seriously injured when a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle pursuing an alleged immigration suspect struck him, raising questions after it was revealed the target of the operation had died years earlier.
Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, originally from Mexico, sustained multiple fractures to his leg and remains hospitalized, requiring reconstructive ankle surgery, according to FIEL, a Houston-based immigration advocacy group. The incident occurred during a pursuit involving ICE officers, who attempted to detain both Parra Hernandez and another man identified as the intended target.
FIEL officials stated during a news conference that the suspect named in the operation—Jose Mendoza-Cervantes—was not present during the incident. Instead, photographic evidence released by ICE and documents provided by the family of Jose Hector Jimenez, who died years ago, show that the man with Parra Hernandez was Jimenez, not Mendoza-Cervantes. Jimenez’s daughter supplied official documentation confirming his death, which has been submitted to the Harris County district attorney’s office.
Surveillance footage reviewed by authorities depicts a black SUV, identified as an ICE vehicle, driving rapidly over a median and approaching a man running away. Although the video does not clearly capture the moment of impact due to obstruction by another vehicle, it shows the man on the ground immediately afterward. ICE had initially claimed that Parra Hernandez stepped in front of the vehicle; however, the district attorney’s office is considering criminal charges against the ICE officer who was driving, citing discrepancies between the agency’s account and the video evidence.
A spokesperson for the Harris County district attorney’s office said that Jose Mendoza-Cervantes was not in the vehicle with Parra Hernandez. Meanwhile, family members of Jimenez have declined comment, though family members confirmed that Jose Hector Jimenez died while attempting to reenter the United States, with ICE involved in the pursuit at that time.
Parra Hernandez’s attorney, Kim Bruno, told reporters that her client is experiencing depression while in federal custody, exacerbated by learning he was not the intended target of the ICE operation. “This never should have happened in the first place,” Bruno said.
Roberto Parra, the injured worker’s brother, emphasized the family’s concerns for Miguel’s well-being and future. “He has a family to support,” Roberto said, noting that his brother’s only offense appeared to be seeking work and safety in the United States.
FIEL has requested Parra Hernandez’s release from custody before he is transferred from the hospital to a federal detention center.
Additionally, Luis Enrique Delfín, who was detained in the ICE vehicle involved in the incident, remains in custody. His sister, Nidia Delfín, has called for his release so he can provide testimony. She described her brother as “still very concerned” and “not the same guy that was out last week.”
ICE has not responded to requests for comment on the matter. The investigation and potential charges remain ongoing.