DOJ Charges Man Who Was Shot by Immigration Officers in Portland

The man admitted to having used his car as a ram to try to flee, federal authorities say.

The U.S. Department of Justice in Washington on Aug. 7, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday charged a man shot by immigration authorities last week in Portland, Oregon, with aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

The DOJ alleged in a news release that Luis Nino-Moncada, described as an illegal immigrant and known Tren de Aragua associate, admitted to law enforcement in an interview following the incident that he had intentionally used his car to ram a Border Patrol vehicle while attempting to flee.

That came after agents had instructed him to exit the car as part of a “targeted immigration enforcement operation.”

Nino-Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras were found 8 miles away from the location of the shooting after he called 911 for help.

Local officials condemned the shooting, which took place one day after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis. Federal officials said the officer opened fire out of self-defense when the woman drove her SUV toward the officer.

The DOJ press release also included photos showing damage to a Hyundai that was being used by ICE agents.

Dents line the driver’s side of the car, while the grill and bumper of the car are smashed.

“Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement attached to the report.

“This man—an illegal alien with ties to a foreign terrorist organization—should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again.”

In addition to aggravated assault, Nino-Moncada has also been charged with depredation of federal property in excess of $1,000 for damage to the car.

Nino-Moncada made an initial appearance in federal court Jan. 12. A federal judge ordered an initial hearing for later this week.

The shooting in Portland on Jan. 8 caught national attention after federal immigration officers were allegedly struck by the vehicle driven by Nino-Moncada and occupied by passenger Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, who had previously been arrested for prostitution.

Tren de Aragua, the gang allegedly linked to the Portland suspects, originated in Venezuela and has expanded into the United States, engaging in drug trafficking, prostitution, and violence. The United States designated it a foreign terrorist organization in 2025, leading to sanctions and rewards for information on leaders.

Last month, the State Department raised the reward to $5 million for Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, the first member of the gang who is listed as one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives.

The Justice Department indicted more than 70 members in a nationwide crackdown last month, targeting activities in multiple states.

Jill McLaughlin contributed to this report.