MIAMI — A 28-year-old Mexican man who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer after fleeing from federal immigration officers in Florida was legally visiting the United States on a valid tourist visa, according to Mexican officials and an advocacy organization assisting his family.
Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán died on July 14 after authorities said he ran across a busy roadway in St. Augustine, Florida, during an encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Investigators said he entered the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer, which fatally struck him.
His death has drawn attention as it marks the third fatal incident in roughly a week involving encounters with ICE agents, following separate deadly shootings in Texas and Maine.
According to Isaret Jeffers, founder of Colectivo Árbol, a nonprofit advocacy group that supports farmworkers and immigrant families, Coronilla Durán was not living in the United States illegally. Instead, he had traveled from his hometown of San Luis de la Paz, located in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, to Atlanta, Georgia, where he spent approximately three weeks visiting relatives and friends.
After spending time with family in Georgia, Coronilla Durán traveled to Florida’s Atlantic coast to enjoy a vacation, including visiting the area’s popular beaches, Jeffers said on Tuesday. She noted that he had entered the United States legally under a tourist visa and had planned to return to Mexico after his trip.
The circumstances surrounding the fatal encounter remain under investigation. Authorities have stated that Coronilla Durán fled from immigration officers before attempting to cross the busy roadway, where he was struck by a passing truck. Officials have not publicly disclosed additional details about why he ran or the events leading up to the encounter.
The incident has raised questions among immigration advocates, who argue that the growing number of deadly encounters involving immigration enforcement highlights concerns about the risks associated with such operations. Supporters of Coronilla Durán’s family are seeking further information about the events that preceded his death while offering assistance to his wife and relatives in Mexico.
Mexican officials have also acknowledged the case and confirmed that Coronilla Durán was traveling in the United States as a tourist. The Mexican government continues to monitor the investigation and provide consular support to his family.
As authorities continue to review the incident, Coronilla Durán’s death has become part of a broader national conversation surrounding immigration enforcement and public safety, with advocates calling for greater transparency regarding encounters between federal officers and individuals they stop or question.
