Family Seeks Answers After ICE Shooting Kills 23-Year-Old Ruben Martinez in South Padre Island
Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was shot and killed by a Homeland Security Investigation agent in South Padre Island in March 2025 after failing to exit his vehicle; ICE says the shooting was self-defense, but his family questions the account and is calling for a full investigation as the Texas Rangers review the case. No video footage has surfaced, and the incident sits in the broader context of recent federal immigration-enforcement killings that have sparked protests.