Family Holds Public Viewing for ICE Shooting Victim Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

Hundreds of community members gathered in Houston on Thursday evening for a public viewing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 52-year-old Mexican man shot and killed by an ICE agent on July 7. His sons stood by their father’s casket for hours greeting mourners who wore blue, Salgado Araujo’s favorite color. A mariachi band played, and several altars adorned the chapel: One table held Salgado Araujo’s construction tools and hard hats, while another displayed two of his Mexico soccer jerseys. Photos and videos of some of the family’s most joyful moments were projected in the background.

Democracy Now!’s María Inés Taracena spoke to some of the attendees outside of the funeral home. “Looking back at history, it brought back memories of Emmett Till, when his mom also let the community grieve with them,” said Cesar Espinosa, a local immigrant rights activist. “She wanted to show the world what they had done to her son, and I think today, this family also wanted to show the world what they had done to them.”

TRANSCRIPT

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AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.

Just within the same hours as President Trump giving his address, in Houston, Texas, hundreds of community members gathered Thursday evening for a public viewing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 52-year-old Mexican father of three U.S. citizens, shot and killed by an ICE agent on July 7th. Members of the public lined up outside the chapel at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home in Houston’s predominantly Latino East End District before making their way inside, where the body of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was laid in an open casket, his sons standing by their father’s casket for hours, greeting mourners who wore different shades of blue at the family’s request, many of them in tears. A mariachi band wearing all black stood by the casket, filling the room with music. Photos and videos of some of the family’s most joyful moments were projected in the background. Several altars also adorned the chapel: One table held Salgado Araujo’s construction tools, including two of his white hard hats, while another displayed two of his Mexico soccer jerseys.

Democracy Now!’s María Inés Taracena spoke to some of the people who attended. She was outside the funeral home because recording was not permitted inside.

CESAR ESPINOSA: My name is Cesar Espinosa, and I am the executive director of FIEL.

The feeling inside is it paints a picture of a man who loved his family, who loved his kids, who loved life. And his life should have never been taken away on that fateful Tuesday morning, July 7th, you know, three days after our Independence Day, on the streets of Magnolia Park. He should still be alive today. At this time right now he should be having dinner at home. He should have been listening to his music, getting ready for the next workday, which he would have done, regardless.

I think it’s the feeling, and there’s one of somberness, but it’s also a very peaceful kind of, you know, atmosphere. There’s a lot of people wearing blue, which apparently was his favorite color. There’s jerseys. There’s pictures, family pictures, shrines, things that the people have brought for the family. They’re giving away these little soccer balls, because just a few days before he was killed on our streets, he was watching the World Cup. And according to his sons, up until the moment when he died, he was still upset that Mexico had lost.

Looking back on history, it brought back memories of Emmett Till, when his mom also let the community grieve with them. And she wanted to show the world what they had done to her son, and I think today, this family also wanted to show the world what they had done to their father.

MARÍA INÉS TARACENA: Ruby Powers, you are the attorney for Victor Salgado, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s younger brother, who witnessed the fatal shooting. We were just at the public viewing with the family, with community members. Earlier today, you were visiting Victor in an ICE jail here in Texas, about an hour from Houston.

RUBY POWERS: You know, I went there to work on our paperwork but also to check in with him, because I’d been a few days and wanting to make sure he was doing well. But, yes, to see him and know that he’s wanting to be here, but he’s only here in spirit at the moment.

Earlier in the week, we requested that Victor be able to come to his brother’s visitation to pay his last respects, and we heard that ICE granted that request. We weren’t given the when or where or the details, but we’re hoping that it happens soon. And so, you know, he was looking forward to that. But I know that it’s hard for him, because even if he is allowed, it’ll be a very brief encounter, and he won’t be able to interact with a lot of his family.

MARÍA INÉS TARACENA: And also, if he’s allowed to come to the public viewing, it’ll be with the presence of law enforcement, of ICE agents.

RUBY POWERS: Well, my understanding is that if and when it happens, it’ll be very private. And so, but, yes, there’s definitely conditions on that visit. But having practiced for 18 years, I’ve never heard of someone being released for a situation like this. But this is a very unique situation. But you’re right. You know, it’s challenging. But I think that he’d rather be here, even if it’s with those conditions, than not having the chance.

HAI BUI: Hi. My name is Hai Bui. I’m the founder of We the People Organize.

When I walked in, it’s the families are on both sides, full, full, amazing, a big family. And, of course, they told me, yeah, go to the front to give respect. And as a Buddhist, I pray for his, you know, good wishes, and we’re here to help to fight justice for him and do whatever it takes to stick with this case. Every week, we always pray that this wouldn’t happen, to be honest with you. We just — we knew that the numbers, because our city has the highest immigrant, and we just knew that — we just prayed it won’t happen. And it did happen.

AMY GOODMAN: That was Hai Bui, Ruby Powers and Cesar Espinosa, who attended the public viewing of the body of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston Thursday evening. Special thanks to our team at Democracy Now!: María Inés Taracena, Hany Massoud and Nicole Salazar.

After the viewing, Lorenzo’s eldest son Ronaldo posted a note of thanks on Facebook, saying in part, quote, “Houston is such a wonderful place full of love. My dad made the right choice in choosing this place to spend the rest of his life and raise his family, surrounded by a strong community that supports and watches each other’s backs. May my dad, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, rest in peace. And with y’all’s love and support, may his legacy live forever,” Ronaldo said.

On Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security said it would reverse plans to halt traffic stops following the shooting deaths of two immigrants by ICE agents in less than a week, in Houston and Biddeford, Maine. The U-turn came after President Trump wrote on social media, “we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” Trump added, “it won’t happen on my watch.”

Coming up, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House adviser Stephen Miller are pushing for a global crackdown on leftist organizations. Stay with us.

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AMY GOODMAN: More of “Sensación” by Helado Negro and Reyna Tropical. Today, their new album is released. It’s called Helado Tropical.