Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was shot by a federal immigration officer in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 20. Ten days later, he showed up to a federal court hearing in a wheelchair, his arm in a sling, with the bullet still inside his back. His attorneys say his wound still requires urgent care.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must make sure he gets full, prompt treatment from qualified doctors right now.

Garces Perez is a 28-year-old asylum seeker from Venezuela. He came to the US in 2024 through CBP One, a government program for scheduling asylum appointments, and his lawyer says he had a valid work permit. He was making DoorDash deliveries when officers pulled him over. He now faces a federal charge of assaulting an officer, which his defense team disputes. A judge has ordered him held while the case moves forward.

Whatever happens in court, nobody in government custody should be left waiting for treatment of a gunshot wound. People held in detention can't simply go see a doctor. They depend entirely on the agency holding them.

Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, one of his immigration attorneys, has accused ICE of denying him medical treatment. Doctors, nurses and medical ethics experts have also spoken out and are calling for his release.

Medical care for someone who has been shot shouldn't depend on politics. It's a basic standard that people of every background can agree on. ICE should let independent doctors examine him, keep his legal team informed about his condition, and provide whatever treatment those doctors recommend.

Sign the petition to tell ICE to get Wilber Garces Perez the medical care he needs now, before his injuries get worse.