Miguel Ángel García-Hernández, 32, a male Latino, was among three detainees caught in a sniper-style attack at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas on September 24, 2025. The shooter opened fire from a nearby rooftop toward the facility’s sally port as detainees were being moved, striking García-Hernández multiple times and sending him to Parkland Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He had been in ICE custody since August 8 following a DUI arrest.
Witnesses said he shielded a fellow detainee as shots rang out, taking the bullets meant for others.
After five days on life support, García-Hernández died on September 29, becoming the second detainee to succumb to wounds from the attack. Family members and the League of United Latin American Citizens confirmed his death in the days that followed, describing him as a house painter, the family’s sole provider, and a father of four with a fifth child on the way. He had lived in the United States for years and had just moved into a first home with his wife.
Authorities identified the gunman as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot shortly after the ambush. Investigators said he acted alone and appeared to be aiming at ICE personnel, not detainees, based on notes recovered after the attack; no arrests were announced in connection with the shooting. In the wake of the incident, ICE raised security levels at facilities nationwide while the FBI and local agencies continued their investigation.
News of García-Hernández’s death drew grief and anger from advocates and loved ones. LULAC publicly confirmed his passing and called for accountability and care for those in federal custody, while local media chronicled the family’s loss and the community’s efforts to support them through memorials and fundraising.
