A 24-year-old Honduran man, Josué Castro Rivera, tragically lost his life while trying to evade federal immigration agents in Virginia on Thursday. The incident occurred after ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers attempted to detain him and three other passengers during a traffic stop. According to authorities, Castro Rivera fled on foot, attempting to cross Interstate 264 in Norfolk, where he was fatally struck by a vehicle.
His brother, Henry Castro, shared that Josué had been living in the U.S. for four years, working diligently to send money back to his family in Honduras. He was on his way to a gardening job when stopped by ICE. He had a very good heart, Castro expressed during a recent interview, mourning the loss of his brother.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Castro Rivera's vehicle was stopped as part of an “intelligence-based operation” targeting individuals allegedly living in the U.S. without proper documentation. The agency claimed that he “resisted heavily” when approached by officers.
Virginia State Police responded to an emergency call regarding a vehicle-pedestrian crash at around 11 a.m., where they found Castro Rivera struck by a 2002 Ford pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash is currently under investigation.
The sad reality of Castro Rivera’s death adds to a series of similar incidents that have emerged in recent months, prompting protests and calls for investigations into immigration enforcement practices. In the past weeks, other immigrants were also killed similarly during ICE operations, leading to heightened scrutiny of the policies that lead to such dangerous encounters.
Families affected by such losses are left to confront the devastating realities of these operations. The DHS later remarked that Castro Rivera’s death was a result of misinformation surrounding ICE's mission and tactics, highlighting the ongoing conflict surrounding immigration enforcement in the U.S.
