New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martínez, an Albuquerque Democrat, is drawing attention for an emotional social media video in which he accused ICE personnel of murdering a Mexican national in Houston and vowed to use his power as speaker to “protect our people.”
The remarks came after the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national, during an ICE vehicle stop in Houston. Federal officials have said Salgado Araujo failed to comply with commands, allegedly rammed an ICE vehicle, and tried to run over an officer before an ICE agent fired in self-defense. Other reporting has noted that witnesses and family members dispute the federal account, and DHS has said Salgado Araujo was not the original target of the operation but “resembled the target.”
But Martínez did not wait for the investigation to conclude before declaring what happened.
“Lorenzo Salgado was murdered in cold blood by so-called ICE personnel in Houston,” Martínez said in the video.
The statement marks a dramatic intervention from the most powerful Democrat in the New Mexico House, especially because the shooting happened in Texas and remains under investigation.
Martínez described Salgado Araujo as “a hardworking man” and “a blue-collar guy,” saying he represented “the best of this country.”
“The type of person who has rebuilt this country over and over again,” Martínez said.
He then suggested Salgado Araujo’s alleged failure to stop may have been understandable because, according to Martínez, an unmarked vehicle attempted to pull him over.
“An unmarked vehicle attempted to pull him over,” Martínez said. “Because who would?”
Martínez also referenced comments from a friend of Salgado Araujo who reportedly mourned him at a makeshift memorial.
“His friend cried at his makeshift altar and, you know, said, like, ‘You know, they chase us down like dogs,’” Martínez said.
The speaker then turned the Houston shooting into a broader attack on President Donald Trump and immigration enforcement.
“Trump and his lackeys do have this just hate for our people,” Martínez said. “It is tragic. It is enraging that this is happening, that it’s been happening, that it continues to happen.”
Martínez also personalized the incident, saying Salgado Araujo reminded him of his father.
“That could be my dad,” Martínez said. “My dad was just like Lorenzo. Dude would be out the door at 5:00 every single morning… to build houses. To build houses and buildings, and to fix buildings, properties, to make other people rich.”
From there, Martínez shifted his focus to New Mexico business groups, contractors, builders, and architectural firms, accusing them of silence while immigrant laborers are targeted.
“You know, these so-called job creators that run around all Albuquerque… your people build,” Martínez said. “The laborers build.”
He added, “Have not heard a peep from the Builders Association. Have not heard a peep from any of the big companies in town, architectural firms in town. Not a peep about what’s happening.”
Martínez also said the workforce used by those businesses is being “targeted,” despite DHS saying Salgado Araujo was not the original target of the Houston operation.
“And yet, it’s their workforce targeted. Targeted. And in this case, Lorenzo targeted,” Martínez said.
He then closed with a direct attack on Trump.
“Shame on Trump. Shame on Trump and shame on his lackeys,” Martínez said.
The speaker also invoked his own position in New Mexico government.
“You’ve got yourself an immigrant Speaker of the House in the state of New Mexico, one of 50 in the entire country,” Martínez said. “I’m going to do everything in my power to protect our people and to show that a different United States of America is possible,” however, it is unclear what he means by “our people” — illegal immigrants or New Mexicans.
The comments are likely to fuel further debate over how New Mexico Democrats talk about immigration enforcement and federal law enforcement officers — as they have been working to attack them by passing laws to make their jobs harder and put their safety in the crosshairs.
While Salgado Araujo’s family and community activists have called for answers, Martínez went much further than calling for transparency or an independent investigation. He labeled the shooting a “murder,” referred to ICE agents as “so-called ICE personnel,” accused Trump of hatred toward “our people,” and used the case to criticize New Mexico businesses.
The Houston incident remains under investigation, and federal officials, witnesses, and family members have offered sharply different accounts of what happened.
Even so, Martínez’s video shows how quickly a disputed law enforcement shooting outside New Mexico has become a political flashpoint inside the state — with the House speaker putting himself at the center of the fight.
Damn! Martinez is one militant Chicano.
Martinez has been hanging out with Congressman Gabe Vasquez too long.
I feel sorry for any ICE agents who get anywhere near Martinez; does Martinez not know that. many ICE agents are Hispanic.