Texas Monthly's Taco Editor Details Disturbing Encounters with ICE and Police
José Ralat, the renowned taco editor for Texas Monthly, has publicly expressed feeling "shaken and angry" after being stopped multiple times in a single day by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and local law enforcement officers. The incident occurred while Ralat was on assignment in West Texas, reporting on Spanish missions for the magazine.
ICE Interrogation During Sightseeing Trip
According to Ralat's account published in Texas Monthly, he and his travel companion Rodrigo Bravo Jr. were pulled over by ICE agents just north of Presidio. The agents, described as appearing Latino and wearing tactical gear, initiated what Ralat characterized as an "interrogation" of Bravo.
The questioning began with agents asking about their destination and activities in Presidio. Bravo explained they were returning to Marfa after visiting a cemetery in Ochoa to see the remains of a lost mission. When asked why they had pulled off the road twice before being stopped, Bravo responded: "We pulled over once to see the cemetery where the marker is, then we pulled over a second time to take a picture of the other road sign. We literally pull over all the time to capture Texas historical markers."
Escalating Questions and Identification Demands
The agent continued probing after learning they planned to travel to El Paso following their Marfa visit. Questions about their accommodation plans in El Paso prompted Bravo to explain: "We are doing a story and eating tacos along the way."
Ralat wrote that this exchange felt like more than casual questioning, noting: "We felt this wasn't a simple query but rather questioning for probable cause." After revealing they were on assignment for Texas Monthly and Ralat providing his business card, the agent demanded their identification without explanation. The pair waited approximately thirty minutes before being released with an unspecified warning.
Additional Police Encounters Compound Distress
The ICE stop was not the only law enforcement interaction Ralat and Bravo experienced that day. According to Ralat's account, they were subsequently stopped by a county officer for driving five miles per hour over the speed limit, and later by the Texas Department of Public Safety for allegedly traveling 71 mph in a 70 mph zone. Ralat contested the DPS officer's claim that they were going 77 mph.
Reflecting on the multiple stops, Ralat stated: "We were shaken, and angry at and afraid of what seemed like a coordinated effort between federal and state officials."
Broader Context of Immigration Enforcement
This incident occurs against the backdrop of expanded ICE operations across the United States as President Donald Trump pursues his campaign promise to conduct what he describes as the largest deportation of illegal immigrants in U.S. history. Public opinion regarding these deportation efforts has reportedly soured as Americans express growing concerns about ICE's tactics and methods.
Ralat acknowledged this context in his article, writing: "When the federal government's immigration raids began at businesses and restaurants across Texas, I felt worried that I would eventually get caught up in one of them. Even being a citizen with my identification always on me seems like it hardly matters. But I have a job to do."
The Independent has contacted both the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for comment regarding Ralat's experience, though responses had not been received at the time of publication. The incident raises significant questions about the intersection of immigration enforcement, journalism, and civil liberties in contemporary America.
