PoliticsTarget of Houston ICE Operation Where Man Was Run Over Had Been Dead for 9 Years, Family Says
ICE was pursuing a dead man, his family said.
Oct. 16 2026, Published 5:01 p.m. ET
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation went left when a Houston construction worker was seriously injured while they were targeting a man whose family says has been dead for almost nine years.
The startling revelation came after an ICE officer hit Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, with an SUV on October 10. His family said he has a connection to the man ICE was pursuing.
ICE Target Reportedly Died in 2017
ICE seemingly had a serious mixup in its latest controversy.
According to The New York Times, a woman named Jamie Jimenez recognized the man in an ICE wanted photo as her father, Jose Hector Jimenez Mendoza.
She said that he died in October 2017 after falling from a cliff while trying to evade immigration officers near the US-Mexico border. A Mexican-issued death certificate along with photos of her father verified her account, per the report.
However, ICE had named its intended target as Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, alleging he had repeatedly entered the United States illegally and had a criminal record. Jimenez clarified that her late father had several aliases, including the name ICE officials referenced.
Immigration authorities have not explained the mix-up.
Construction Worker Struck by ICE Vehicle
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The construction worker hit by an ICE SUV was fleeing on foot.
Parra Hernandez was running away in northwest Houston when an unmarked ICE SUV hit him, causing multiple fractures and serious ankle injuries.
Surveillance video showed the SUV crossing a median and heading toward the fleeing worker in pursuit, but another vehicle blocked the camera's view of the impact.
ICE claimed Parra Hernandez ran in front of their vehicle, but his relatives and local authorities have disputed their version of events.
The Houston local remains hospitalized in ICE custody and requires more surgeries for his injuries.
Prosecutor Considers Criminal Charges
Numerous ICE controversies have led to protest.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said the footage suggests the officer hit Parra Hernandez intentionally.
His office is considering pressing charges, which could include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; however, at the time of publication on Friday, October 16, no charges had been announced.
Teare also accused federal agents of compromising the evidence at the crash site but leaving the scene with the SUV.
Investigators said ICE already had two detainees in the vehicle when they hit the construction worker.
The officer involved has reportedly been placed on administrative leave while investigators investigate the incident.
