Mom whose son was killed by ICE doesn't blame Trump, but calls for change

"I just want to know what happened," Rachel Reyes told CBS News during her first TV interview since the death of her son, Ruben Ray Martinez, a U.S. citizen shot and killed by an ICE agent in Texas last year. Exclusive U.S. A Trump voter whose son was killed by ICE is calling for an end to "abuse and impunity" at the agency By Camilo Montoya-Galvez Camilo Montoya-Galvez Immigration Correspondent Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the Immigration Correspondent at CBS News, where his reporting is featured across multiple programs and platforms, including national broadcast shows, CBS News 24/7, CBSNews.com and the organization's social media accounts. Read Full Bio Camilo Montoya-Galvez March 6, 2026 / 6:00 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google 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.Reyes said she has not received any videos, evidence or official reports related to her son's killing in March 2025. While Martinez' death was reported at the time, ICE's involvement 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.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." Rachel Reyes with photos of her son, Ruben Ray Martinez, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on South Padre Island, Texas, in March 2025. CBS News 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. Rachel Reyes looks at a photo of her son, Ruben Ray Martinez, CBS News Dueling accounts of fatal shootingReyes 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." Ruben Ray Martinez Rachel Reyes via AP "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 d