Tragic Consequences: Honduran Man Dies Fleeing ICE on Virginia Freeway

On October 23, 2025, Josué Castro Rivera, a 24-year-old Honduran national, was fatally struck by a vehicle on Interstate 264 in Norfolk, Virginia, while attempting to evade U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. This incident has intensified debates over the methods employed in immigration enforcement and their impact on immigrant communities.

Rivera's death is the latest in a series of fatalities linked to ICE operations, raising critical questions about the agency's enforcement strategies and the broader implications for undocumented individuals in the United States. As public scrutiny mounts, this case serves as a poignant example of the human cost associated with current immigration policies.

Rivera immigrated to the United States from Honduras four years prior to his death. He was employed in the gardening sector, earning a living to send financial support to his family back home. His brother, Henry Castro, described him as having "a very good heart" and is currently raising funds to repatriate Josué's body to Honduras for burial.

On the morning of October 23, while traveling to a gardening job, Rivera's vehicle was stopped by ICE officers conducting a "targeted, intelligence-based" operation. ICE attempted to detain Rivera and three other passengers for allegedly residing in the U.S. without legal permission. Rivera fled on foot, attempted to cross Interstate 264, and was struck by a 2002 Ford pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement attributing Rivera's death to "a direct result of every politician, activist, and reporter who continue to spread propaganda and misinformation about ICE's mission and ways to avoid detention." DHS officials did not respond to further requests for comment.

Rivera's death is part of a series of recent fatalities during immigration enforcement operations:

• In September 2025, in suburban Chicago, federal immigration agents fatally shot a Mexican man during a traffic stop.
• In July 2025, a farmworker in California died after falling from a greenhouse roof during an ICE raid at a cannabis facility.
• In August 2025, another individual in California was fatally struck by a vehicle after fleeing from federal agents onto a freeway.

These incidents have intensified public scrutiny of ICE's enforcement tactics and raised concerns about the safety and rights of undocumented immigrants. Advocacy groups have called for thorough investigations into these events and have highlighted the emotional and psychological toll on immigrant communities. The fear of detention and deportation may lead individuals to take desperate measures to avoid apprehension, sometimes resulting in tragic outcomes.

Rivera's death underscores the urgent need for a balanced approach to immigration enforcement that prioritizes human rights and safety. Ongoing dialogue and policy evaluation are essential to prevent further tragedies.