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ICE Confirms Houston Officer Seriously Injured in Attack by Twice-Deported Suspect

The case comes as ICE touts a 10-day Houston sweep that has prompted calls for more detail on who was detained.

Overview

  • DHS says an ICE officer in Houston was struck in the face with a metal coffee cup during an arrest, causing severe burns and a deep laceration that required 13 stitches.
  • Authorities identified the suspect as Walter Leonel Perez Rodriguez, 33, a Salvadoran national previously removed in 2013 and 2020 with prior convictions including sexual assault of a child and multiple DUIs.
  • ICE reports that Perez Rodriguez is in custody and has been referred for federal prosecution on charges of illegal reentry and assaulting a federal officer.
  • ICE’s Houston field office announced a 10-day operation from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31 that led to 1,505 arrests, including documented gang members, aggravated felons and 255 people who had been previously deported.
  • Local reporting notes ICE named only a handful of individuals from the 1,505 arrests and provided limited details about most cases, prompting renewed questions about transparency and context.