Substance FBI agent saw in van of man fatally shot by ICE in Houston was salt, family attorney says

ImmigrationSubstance FBI agent saw in van of man fatally shot by ICE in Houston was salt, family attorney saysAn FBI search warrant application said an agent found small bags in the van that he believed could contain drugs, which was refuted by the local DA and a group representing the victim’s family.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleNew surveillance video raises questions in deadly ICE shooting01:33Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 16, 2026, 2:02 PM EDTBy Daniella Silva, Nicole Acevedo and Michael KosnarThe FBI filed a search warrant application for the van driven by Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a father of three who was killed by ICE during a traffic stop in Texas last week, saying an agent found small bags in the vehicle he believed could contain drugs. But the attorney for the Salgado Araujo family said Thursday the substance was salt that outdoor workers mixed with lemon and water to combat the Texas heat.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The FBI declined to comment to NBC News on whether the agency has executed the search warrant and whether any of the seized items tested positive for illegal drugs. “Our understanding is that this was granulated salt, which is paired with lemon and water as a homemade electrolyte mix used by outdoor workers in extreme Texas heat, not methamphetamine or any other illicit substance,” attorney Ruby L. Powers, who represents Salgado Araujo’s brother, who was taken into custody following the shooting, said in a statement. “A search warrant does not equate to guilt,” Powers said. “An unidentified substance is not a confirmed narcotic.”Powers said she was requesting that the substance be tested immediately “so that their names can be cleared.” She is also calling for Salgado Araujo’s brother to be released from ICE custody.The top prosecutor in Houston and a group advocating for the man’s family have also criticized t...