Jose Castro-Rivera died in fatal Norfolk car crash
Fatal Norfolk car crash death of Jose Castro-Rivera
Virginia authorities have confirmed the identity of the man killed Thursday when struck by a vehicle during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement pursuit near Norfolk.
Virginia State Police reported the fatal incident occurred shortly before noon on the eastbound span of Interstate 264, close to the Military Highway interchange. Law enforcement stated that a man exited his vehicle and attempted to cross the highway when he was hit by a 2002 Ford pickup truck and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
A Department of Homeland Security official identified the deceased as Jose Castro-Rivera, a citizen of Honduras. The official termed the event “regrettable,” indicating that “Castro-Rivera’s cooperation with law enforcement officers could have averted this tragedy.” The official further noted that ICE agents had concluded the individuals in the vehicle were present in the United States unlawfully, resulting in their “custody of the vehicle’s occupants.”
Jose Castro-Rivera was 24 years old, according to community figures who were connected to him.
In a subsequent statement, ICE indicated that Castro-Rivera “put up strong resistance,” suggesting that “the demise of this undocumented individual stems from the ongoing dissemination of misinformation regarding ICE’s objectives.”
The agency confirmed that the vehicle stop was “included in a targeted, intelligence-focused immigration enforcement operation.”
An immigration legal professional, Andrew Reigel from Virginia Beach, voiced criticism of this declaration, asserting that it unfairly assigns responsibility to the deceased individual.
“They are portraying the deceased person in a negative light here,” Reigel stated. “He might have been apprehensive about his safety, and in that instant felt that this could be a safer choice, … which conveys a significant aspect of the circumstances.”
Reigel contended that ICE’s current enforcement techniques differ from those during previous administrations.
“Past administrations concentrated on immigrants with criminal backgrounds, acknowledging constraints on resources,” he explained. “Now, merely being here, contributing through taxes and working is not sufficient. … Individuals are being apprehended and housed in settings that resemble detention centers.”
Patricia Bracknell, the founder and chief executive officer of the Chamber for Hispanic Progress, stated that her group is collaborating directly with Castro-Rivera’s family to offer support.
“They became involved immediately following this morning,” Bracknell mentioned. “The Honduran embassy in Washington, D.C., has consented to arrange the repatriation of his body to Honduras and assist the family with the administrative procedures.”
Bracknell mentioned that local individuals have also initiated a fundraising campaign to aid the family.
She highlighted that although the organization is not opposed to immigration enforcement, they are concerned by the methods they characterize as aggressive and unjust.
“We are observing ordinary residents… people who reside in our neighborhoods and are employed, … being apprehended and vanishing,” Bracknell expressed. “There is no established legal process. What we do not endorse are the methodologies.”
Bracknell inquired whether racial profiling was a factor in recent immigration checkpoints.
“This particular situation raises that concern,” she said. “They’re driving with a Hispanic driver… is racial profiling involved currently? I am a U.S. citizen, but I have a Latina appearance.”
Reigel reported hearing similar accounts.
“What we’ve witnessed this year is that ICE was focusing on work trucks, … anything seeming like a white work truck with Hispanic passengers,” he observed.
