The Austin ICE shooting has raised questions about medical standards for detainees – Houston Public Media

The Austin ICE shooting has raised questions about medical standards for detainees  Houston Public Media

Wilber Garces Perez was quickly discharged from an Austin hospital after he was shot by an ICE agent. Experts say it's hard to know if he was treated appropriately without seeing medical records. The recent shooting of a man by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Austin has led to questions about hospitals’ legal obligations when treating ICE detainees with traumatic injuries. 28-year-old Wilber Garces Perez was shot in the back by an ICE officer Sunday. Video shared by the Austin Police Department suggests the shooting followed a car pursuit. Garces Perez and his lawyer have described an unprovoked encounter with authorities, but the Department of Homeland Services said he was the subject of a “targeted vehicle stop” and attempted to evade arrest.

After the incident, Garces Perez was taken to Austin’s Dell Seton Medical Center for treatment — but he and his lawyer have said they do not believe he was given appropriate care at the hospital, and remains in poor condition at a detention center in South Texas with a bullet still lodged in his back. Representatives for the hospital and for ICE have disputed the claim that Garces Perez has not received adequate care. But community members and elected officials are still pushing for answers on whether Garces Perez is getting what he needs. “I am