Her son was killed by ICE at a traffic stop. She says she's still waiting for justice

Immigration Her son was killed by ICE at a traffic stop. She says she's still waiting for justice July 22, 20267:20 AM ET Juliana Kim Rachel Reyes, holds a photo of her son, Ruben Ray Martinez, a U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a traffic encounter in Texas. Brenda Bazán for NPR hide caption toggle caption Brenda Bazán for NPR When Rachel Reyes learned about the recent deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero at the hands of federal immigration agents, she had flashbacks to what happened to her son 16 months ago. "It really breaks my heart for the families because I understand the nightmare they're going through," Reyes says. Her son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was fatally shot in March 2025 by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a traffic stop — like in the cases of Salgado Araujo and Durán Guerrero. Sponsor Message Immigration Ex-wife says ICE agent who killed man in Maine had racist beliefs, violent tendencies Martinez was killed two months into President Trump's return to office and the start of his aggressive immigration crackdown. Since then, there have been 29 additional instances in which immigration agents shot at civilians — at least seven of which turned deadly, according to The Trace, a nonprofit journalism site focused on gun violence. The AP reports at least 10 fatalities during Trump's second term. NPR reported on Martinez's death back in April — tracing his family's nearly year-long saga to obtain body camera footage and for the case to be presented to a state grand jury, which later declined to bring charges against the agent who opened fire. Reyes says it's been difficult to watch history repeat itself, especially since she's still seeking accountability. "It's just really upsetting, the whole thing, because I know what it feels like, and it's incredibly frustrating to be treated like if your loved one's life doesn't matter," she says. Reyes, who is from S...