A 28-year-old Mexican man has died in Florida after being hit by a truck while trying to flee a checkpoint run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

This is the third fatal incident involving ICE agents in a week, adding to the debate in the United States about how immigration operations are conducted. The incident occurred in the St. Augustine area of ​​Florida. According to authorities, the 28-year-old was in a vehicle with three other people, which was parked near a gas station at about 07:00 a.m. When ICE agents arrived at the scene, the four people got out of the car and tried to flee on foot. According to Florida Highway Patrol Chief Dylan Bryan, during the escape, the 28-year-old crossed a busy road and was hit by a passing truck.

The truck driver immediately stopped and attempted to render aid to the young man, but he died from his injuries. US authorities have not yet released the reason why the four people tried to flee from ICE agents. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed that ICE agents were conducting an operation in the area and announced that the Florida Highway Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Investigation are investigating the incident.

Florida Democratic Representative Angie Nixon called the death "tragic," criticizing the way ICE operates. "Whether it's ICE agents shooting a father on the streets of Houston, or the killing of a young man in Maine, or operations in Florida that end in a fatal accident, the result is the same: fear, chaos, and death," she said.

This is the third fatal incident involving ICE operations in a matter of days. On July 8, a federal ICE agent shot and killed a Mexican national, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, during an operation in Houston, Texas. According to US authorities, the victim had refused orders to stop and allegedly tried to hit an agent with his vehicle. On July 14, an ICE agent killed a 26-year-old Colombian man, Juan Sebastian Guerrero, during an operation in Maine. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the young man tried to flee during the search and the agent opened fire, claiming to have public safety concerns. The incidents have prompted strong reactions from immigrant rights organizations and political representatives, who are demanding full investigations into the use of force during ICE operations.