An immigration lawyer representing two individuals involved in a recent fatal shooting incident with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston has a history of domestic abuse and kidnapping charges. Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, a private practice attorney in Texas, is representing two of the three passengers who were in a van when Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot by an ICE agent last week.
At a press conference following the shooting, Balderas-Ibarra criticized the agency, demanding the immediate release of his clients and accusing ICE agents of lying about the shooting and engaging in "racial profiling." He claimed that his clients would suffer lasting physical and emotional trauma from the incident, stating that their families would never be whole again.
However, court documents reveal that Balderas-Ibarra has a history of domestic violence. He is currently out on a $20,000 bond for a felony assault family violence charge, stemming from a 2024 incident in which he allegedly strangled his ex-partner. The victim reported that Balderas-Ibarra grabbed her by the neck, squeezed harder, and twisted her throat, causing her to feel dizzy and disoriented.
The incident resulted in visible injuries, with photos taken by authorities showing redness and swelling on the victim's neck. Balderas-Ibarra was charged with felony assault family violence – impeding breathing. Furthermore, court documents show that he was already on bail for a separate domestic violence charge, kidnapping, and false imprisonment in Seminole County, Florida, at the time of the strangulation incident.
Balderas-Ibarra's law practice is in good standing, with a probationary license to practice law in Texas. He appeared at a press conference alongside several prominent Democratic politicians, including Rep. Al Green and Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, to address the ICE shooting.
The incident involved Salgado Araujo, a Mexican citizen who authorities said was in the country illegally, who was shot and killed in Houston after ICE said he tried to ram an ICE officer with his vehicle during a traffic stop. Balderas-Ibarra claimed that his clients' accounts of the events differed significantly from ICE's version, alleging that the agency's story was false and that his clients were telling the truth.
Balderas-Ibarra demanded that ICE release his clients to prevent their deportation, which he argued would preserve the integrity of the investigations into the shooting. He called for significant changes to ICE's immigration enforcement practices, accusing the agency of racial profiling.
