Photo: Amidst the illegal immigration hysteria, two U.S citizens were shot, mistaken for undocumented
A father and son were shot in Hudspeth County, just east of El Paso County in Texas, when they allege a rancher shot them, believing they were undocumented immigrants trespassing on his land.
This incident shows the anti-immigrant hysteria that seems to be running rampant in the U.S., particularly in the states that share a border with Mexico.
Noberto Velez and his son Norangel Velez, both of El Paso and U.S. citizens, say they were driving around looking for land to buy, when they made a wrong turn and got lost. Shortly after, the rancher – who has not yet been named – drove up behind them and began firing without warning. Norangel told local news Channel 9-KTSM that he believes he and his father were mistaken for undocumented immigrants.
Noberto was reportedly shot three times, and remains hospitalized, while Norangel was shot once, and was treated and released.
Roberto Rodriguez Hernandez of the Mexican Consulate in El Paso confirmed that the men are U.S. citizens, and said, “They were shot during the day and apparently because of racial profiling. It’s worrisome the anti-immigrant climate can provoke such abuses.”
The Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Texas Rangers, is still investigating the shooting, but officials released no new details.
It should be noted that after opening fire on the father and son, the rancher drove them to get medical help more than 20 miles away at a fire station in Fabens, TX.
