Luis David Nino-Moncada, who was shot and wounded by a border patrol agent during an immigration stop in Portland last week, has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault against a federal officer and damaging federal property. The 27-year-old Venezuelan national entered his plea on Wednesday, a day after being indicted by a federal grand jury.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that Nino-Moncada used his pickup truck as a weapon when agents attempted to apprehend him, reversing into an unmarked rental car and repeatedly slamming into it. However, federal investigators have stated that there is no surveillance or video footage of the incident. A woman identified as Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, who was in the passenger seat and also shot, has been released from hospital and transferred to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility.
The shooting occurred the day after federal officer killed Renee Good in Minneapolis, sparking nationwide protests against aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. In the wake of the incident, the Trump administration has defended its agents, asserting immunity from legal action. Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff, warned that anyone impeding immigration operations would face justice.
Legal experts have questioned the sweeping claims of immunity, while the DHS has cited a dramatic increase in assaults against its officers without providing supporting evidence. The agency has framed its actions as self-defence, but court records and investigations have revealed inconsistencies in such claims. The case continues to draw scrutiny as local officials demand greater transparency.
