A Texas mother and self-described Trump supporter is demanding answers following her son’s deadly encounter with immigration agents on South Padre Island nearly a year ago.
Rachel Reyes’ 23-year-old son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot dead by a U.S. Customs and Enforcement agent a year ago, though the agency’s involvement wasn’t disclosed until nearly 11 months later. During her first television interview since the tragedy, Reyes told CBS News she remains in the dark about crucial details.
“I just want to know what happened, why they feel it was justified, and I honestly don’t believe that. I’m not a mother in denial. I’m just a mother in doubt, because I know my son and I know he’s not a threat,” Reyes told the outlet.
“I think just knowing the truth will give me closure,” she added.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed an ICE agent fired “defensive shots” after Martinez ignored commands and struck an agent with his vehicle. Reyes flatly rejected DHS’s narrative.
She said DHS’s statement “adds insult to injury, because there was no officer run over and there was no officer injured, and there’s contradicting statements, and that makes me distrustful.”
Martinez’s passenger, Joshua Orta, disputed the official narrative in a draft declaration, stating his friend “did not hit anyone.” Orta died in a crash before he could testify.
Despite voting for President Donald Trump in 2024, Reyes is calling for sweeping reform.
“I don’t blame President Trump for the death of my son, ’cause he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger,” Reyes said. “But I do think that something needs to be changed in that department as far as the pattern of violence or abuse and impunity.”
A grand jury declined to press charges against the agent.
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