Texas DA Charges ICE Officer with Aggravated Assault After Vehicle Encounter Leaves Migrant Seriously Injured
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced Friday that his office has indicted ICE Officer Mario Alberto Morales, 33, on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The charge stems from an October 10 encounter in which Morales allegedly ran over Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old Mexican national, with his vehicle. Parra Hernandez suffered serious injuries, including a broken leg, and remains in federal custody at a rehabilitation facility, according to Teare. The announcement came at a news conference where Teare presented body camera footage of the incident and a recording of Morales calling 911.
Key evidence in the case includes Morales’ body-worn camera footage and his subsequent 911 call, which Teare described as some of the most significant material. The injured man, Parra Hernandez, is recovering at a Houston hospital with hip and leg injuries that his representatives say will require multiple future surgeries. Teare stated that Morales ran over both of Parra Hernandez’s legs. Morales’ attorney, David Lindenmuth, has characterized his client as a military veteran and pastor, and said Morales remained in the Houston area and intended to surrender once the case was assigned to a court.
The indictment has sparked a jurisdictional dispute. ICE contends that local authorities cannot investigate federal officers acting within the scope of their duties, while Teare maintains that his office has the authority to prosecute violations of Texas criminal law. Teare also revealed that two other individuals from “an entirely different operation” were in the back of the ICE vehicle at the time and that his office is working to ensure they remain in the country as material witnesses. The case highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local prosecutors.
Parra Hernandez, who remains under ICE supervision, faces a long recovery. The incident and the subsequent charge have drawn attention to the use of force by federal officers and the limits of local oversight. As the legal battle unfolds, the body camera footage and 911 call are expected to play a central role in the prosecution. Morales, who has not yet been arraigned, is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The district attorney’s office has not set a date for Morales’ initial court appearance.
Shimanta Das 
