A Trump voter whose son was killed by ICE is calling for an end to "abuse and impunity" at the agency

Austin, Texas — Rachel Reyes' son, 23-year-old American citizen Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent nearly one year ago. But she said she's still trying to understand why.

While Martinez' death was reported when it occurred in March 2025, ICE's involvement in the fatal shooting was not publicly disclosed until last month, nearly 11 months later.

"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 CBS News during her first TV interview since her son's death.

"I think just knowing the truth will give me closure," she added.

During the Feb. 28 interview, Reyes said she had not received any videos, evidence or official reports related to her son's killing. On Thursday, after CBS News submitted a series of questions, including about Reyes' comments, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety said the agency had completed its investigation and that it would release records related to the shooting sometime Friday.

Reyes, an American citizen born and raised in Texas, said her family has deep respect for law enforcement officials and noted she voted for President Trump in 2024. But she said the federal government urgently needs to reform how immigration agents conduct their duties.

"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."

She took issue with the Department of Homeland Security's statement saying an ICE agent fired "defensive shots" into Martinez's vehicle during the March 15, 2025 incident on South Padre Island, Texas. DHS accused Martinez of ignoring directions and "intentionally" running over an ICE agent with his vehicle.

She said DHS' 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." 

DHS' account of the incident was disputed by Joshua Orta, Martinez's close friend and a passenger of the vehicle during the fatal shooting. Orta said in a draft declaration, shared and prepared by Martinez's lawyers, that his friend "did not hit anyone." Orta died in a separate car crash last month, before he could sign the declaration and testify.

Reyes said she does not believe DHS' version of events, and that she has yet to see any evidence to support it.

"He was not a violent person. He was not aggressive," she said of her son.

Dueling accounts of fatal shooting

Reyes said her son had traveled with Orta to South Padre Island that weekend to celebrate his birthday. She said it was his first time leaving the San Antonio area without his family.

An internal ICE report that aligns with the March 2025 incident said the federal agents involved were helping South Padre Island police officers direct traffic in the late-night hours after a car accident. The report, disclosed through a public records request by the non-profit American Oversight, said the driver of a blue Ford "failed to follow instructions" when approaching the area. After commands from the agents, the report said the vehicle "slowed to a stop." The agents, the report added, surrounded the car and ordered the driver to exit the vehicle.

The report said the driver "accelerated forward" and struck one of the ICE agents. At that point, according to the report, another ICE agent fired "multiple rounds" at the driver through an open side window. The driver was given first aid and then transferred to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

In a draft declaration, Orta claimed he and Martinez came across police officers in South Padre Island after having "a few drinks" at a friend's condo, unsuccessfully trying to enter a club, spending a couple of hours at a pool party and getting food at Whataburger. Orta said one law enforcement officer saw that they had an open container of alcohol in the car Martinez was driving. The officer told them to "turn around and leave," Orta recounted. Then, Orta alleged, another officer "walked up to our car (and) slapped the hood."

"I later learned that the trooper's report said that Ruben had 'hit' the officer. That's not true. I was present, and I state clearly and without hesitation that Ruben did not hit anyone," his declaration said. "The trooper seemed to be trying to get in front of the car, like he wasn't moving out of the way when we tried to turn around and leave like the police officer told us to do."

Orta said he saw two or three officers who yelled at them to "stop." He said he saw them draw their guns. 

"This was crazy to me because we were only crawling, like the car was in gear, but just coasting. Ruben never hit the gas," Orta said. "The troopers were never in danger from Ruben and could have easily stepped aside while we tried to turn around and leave."

Orta said an agent, who he later learned worked for ICE, then "approached the driver's side" of the car as they were attempting to turn around.

"Without giving any warning, commands, or opportunity to comply, the agent fired multiple shots at Ruben from an extremely close distance — no more than two feet," Orta said. "I heard Ruben say, 'I'm sorry,' and then he slumped backward."

Last month, a grand jury rejected criminal charges in the March 15, 2025 shooting.

In a statement to CBS News, DHS said, "This incident was investigated by the state authorities and presented to a grand jury who unanimously found no criminality." The agency said the ICE agent who shot Martinez discharged his firearm to "protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public."

A toxicology screen conducted after the shooting detected alcohol and marijuana in Martinez's system. Asked about the screen, Charles Stam, an attorney representing Martinez's family, said Martinez "was never stopped on suspicion of public intoxication or driving under the influence or anything of that nature."

"It's important to bear in mind that when Ruben lost his life, his car was in park, and right after those three bullets came through the window and went into his chest from that ICE officer, Mr. Orta's statement, said that he said, 'I'm sorry, sir,' as his last words," Stam added. "This was not someone who posed a threat."

"The light of our house"

Reyes believes there are some similarities between her son's death and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. They were all U.S. citizens killed by immigration agents, she noted. In the three cases, she argued, the government used "cold words" to "misrepresent" the actions of federal agents.

But Reyes also highlighted some differences, saying her son was not a protester.

"He was just a young guy looking for a spring break birthday celebration," she said.

Reyes described him as a "humble" young man who worked at an Amazon warehouse and who enjoyed music, cars, video games and hanging out with friends.

"He was just the light of our house," she said. "He would always make us laugh."

Asked what she misses the most about her son, Reyes said, "Just his presence." 

"Just him being there, you know? And I'm sad because I'm never going to see his children or, you know, like the hopes and dreams that he had, (that) he was enthusiastically looking forward to," she said. "It was just taken from us. And I feel it was preventable."