ICE Agent Mario Morales Faces Aggravated Assault Charges in Houston

In Harris County, federal prosecutors have charged Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Mario Morales with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The indictment stems from an incident on October 10, 2026, in which Morales allegedly ran over the legs of a fleeing Mexican immigrant. If convicted, the 33-year-old faces up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors reviewed surveillance and body camera footage to build the case.

Morales was hired as a deportation officer in August 2025 through the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Metro Surge program. The job description for the position lists a salary range of $107,000 to $139,000. The role requires previous experience in a rigorous law enforcement position. The government website states that a background check for suitability and fitness is required, but it does not explicitly mention a criminal background check. The position requires candidates to carry a firearm and disqualifies those with domestic violence convictions.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced the indictment last week. Teare’s office is also independently investigating Gregory Feathers, another ICE agent who fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in the Magnolia Park neighborhood on July 7. Teare stated that he is not familiar with a single law enforcement agency that would have hired Morales given his work history. The District Attorney played a 911 call for reporters in which Morales told the dispatcher that the man hit his car, a statement that contradicts the video evidence showing Morales steering toward the victim.

U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz of the Southern District of Texas issued a statement over the weekend. Reitz said Teare appears disappointed in his inability to swiftly bring charges in the Salgado shooting. Reitz characterized the new indictment as an attempt to put a different federal agent’s scalp on the wall. He asserted that federal agents should not be turned into political trophies for enforcing federal law.

Morales is a native of Brownsville and a graduate of Hanna High School. He served in the U.S. Army for approximately two years. He later worked as a prison guard for a state facility in Beeville, where he was disciplined for falsifying records by documenting security rounds as completed when they were not conducted. He resigned that job in 2018 while on probation. Morales also ran for a Congressional seat in Brownsville last year under the name Bam, raising about $17,000 before dropping out of the race.

Greg Fremin, a law enforcement training instructor at the University of Houston Downtown, reviewed the incident. Fremin, who retired as a Houston Police Department captain in 2017, stated that the agent intentionally swerved his vehicle to hit the suspect. He noted that standard police training does not typically teach officers to use vehicles to stop fleeing suspects unless the suspect poses an imminent threat to the public. Fremin expressed concern that ICE agents are being placed in large urban environments to engage in felony traffic stops without adequate tactical training.

Morales’ attorneys from the firm Gregor Wynne Arney PLLC issued a statement on Monday morning after he surrendered to authorities. They argued that no crime was committed and described the indictment as political theater. The lawyers stated that Morales completed federal law enforcement academy training, FEMA incident command coursework, and first aid and CPR certification. They noted that he dedicated his adult life to public service. The defense maintained that the incident was the result of the dynamics of an unmarked vehicle stop rather than intentional misconduct.

The incident has renewed debate over the training and vetting processes for federal immigration agents. The Department of Homeland Security has not disclosed the length or format of the required training courses for deportation officers. Fremin said he does not know if the training is available online or if officers have a set time frame to complete it. The agency has faced criticism for a lack of transparency regarding how it vets its personnel and the continuing education it requires.