ICE Agent Indicted for Aggravated Assault Following Fatal Vehicle Pursuit in Houston
An ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales faces felony charges after allegedly running over a Mexican immigrant in Houston, sparking debate over rapid federal hir...
POLICY WIRE — Houston, Texas — A Texas grand jury has handed down an indictment against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer following an incident where a vehicle was used to strike a pedestrian.
Mario Alberto Morales, 33, faces charges of second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office stated the alleged attack occurred during a vehicle pursuit in the Houston area earlier this month.
The victim in the incident is identified as an undocumented Mexican immigrant who had been out on bond at the time of the crash.
Following the indictment, Morales surrendered at Harris County court and was subsequently released on bond. The legal proceedings have brought intense focus to the officer’s professional history.
Records indicate that Morales had been employed with the agency for just over a year prior to the charges being filed. His case has reignited debates regarding the previous administration’s aggressive efforts to rapidly expand the workforce for immigration enforcement.
The case continues to raise questions about the adequacy of training protocols provided to agents hired during the federal hiring surge.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
