Marimar Martinez’s Complete Testimony Before Congress on Being Shot by ICE Agent 5 Times

Marimar Martinez is the Chicago woman who was shot 5 times by an ICE agent back in October 2025 and who lived to testify about it before a Congressional committee last week.

Because her testimony was edited by every news network and effectively back paged for lack of a better term, we here quote verbatim Marimar Martinez’ testimony before Congress in it’s entirety, just weeks after getting shot 5 times and leaving 7 bullet holes by ICE. This is the testimony that should have been heard by every American and heard around the world. Marimar Martinez testimony should have dominated the news cycle last week:

To the Rag reader who sent us the following, “Marimar is strength and love personified. This is what courage looks like, and she is an example for us all.”

[00:00:00:30 – 00:00:01:57]

Thank you for having me here.

[00:00:02:57 – 00:00:13:55]

Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude. Thank you, Chairman, for giving me the opportunity to be here today, for taking the time to hear my testimony.

[00:00:15:09 – 00:00:23:50]

I give thanks to God. He has been a constant presence in my life, and the source of my strength. Without him, I wouldn’t be here standing.

[00:00:25:16 – 00:00:27:10]

I am a living testimony of His grace.

[00:00:31:09 – 00:00:48:32]

Sincerely, thank you, everyone who has kept me and their thoughts and prayers, and who has supported me since day one. From the parents at my school, to my neighbors, to my family and friends, strangers near and far, from Mexico to Colombia, thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

[00:00:50:51 – 00:00:52:30]

Estos patoda mi gente mi grante.

[00:00:53:48 – 00:01:04:30]

My name is Marimar Martinez. I am a first generation Mexican-American, as a survivor of this administration’s actions.

[00:01:06:08 – 00:01:15:43]

As an advocate for those who do not have a voice, those that are pleading for justice, living in fear, and those who are asking for meaningful change and accountability.

[00:01:16:58 – 00:01:21:05]

I come from a beautiful family full of immigrants. I am proud of my roots.

[00:01:22:21 – 00:01:29:22]

I am born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where I learned the values of resilience, community, respect, love, and hope.

[00:01:30:48 – 00:02:16:56]

Those lessons have shaped me since childhood, and continue to guide me through my adult life. On October 4, 2025, those values were tested when my life was nearly taken by my own government. This testimony is my attempt to give voice to an experience that we’re struggling to hold, but silence cannot justify.

On Saturday, October 4, 2025, I woke up tired, but committed to doing the fall cleaning. I promised myself I would do that day. After two hours, I had successfully filled an entire bag of good quality clothing shoes I wanted to take to donate to my local church. After a quick shower and a cup of coffee, I put the bag of clothes in the back of my cart and headed towards the church.

[00:02:17:57 – 00:02:35:45]

As I was getting close to the church, I noticed a SUV that appeared to be similar to the border patrol vehicles that had been invading our Hispanic neighborhood. In the previous week, I got a quiet but firm sense that something wasn’t right.

[00:02:38:15 – 00:02:45:43]

As I passed the vehicle, I noticed an over light in the front windshield, no front plates as required in Illinois.

[00:02:46:58 – 00:03:14:57]

And out of state license plate in the back. I then noticed a uniform border patrol agent in the vehicle. As a 30-year-old USA citizen with no criminal history, I believed that I had nothing to worry about. But I was concerned for my friends, neighbors, based on the well-publicized incidents involving border patrol agents in our community over the past few weeks, arresting anyone with brown skin for no legitimate law enforcement reasons.

[00:03:16:08 – 00:03:31:23]

For the next 15 to 20 minutes, I followed these border patrol agents through my neighborhood, honking my horn, shouting out “La Migra!” to warn my neighbors about the presence of these agents who have been terrorizing our community over the past few weeks.

[00:03:33:29 – 00:03:46:09]

As I did this, my neighbors started standing on the porches and sidewalks, joining on this spontaneous life alert system and began setting off their car alarms to warn other neighbors.

[00:03:48:12 – 00:03:54:35]

As the border patrol vehicle turned on Kensey Avenue, I continued to beat my horn and warn my community.

[00:03:56:35 – 00:04:08:40]

As we approached the intersection of 39 and Kensey, my vehicle was two to three feet to the left of the border patrol vehicle. He started to swerve into my lane as he was driving.

[00:04:10:29 – 00:04:19:33]

I made eye contact with the driver of the border patrol vehicle and watched as he turned the steering wheel once again to his left and side swept my vehicle.

[00:04:20:39 – 00:04:29:52]

I immediately froze, slammed on the brakes, and stopped my car. The border patrol vehicle stopped just one to two car lengths ahead of me.

[00:04:32:53 – 00:04:55:33]

It seemed like time stopped. I knew from watching the news coverage of other border patrol encounters in Chicago that I was in danger. I watched the vehicle of agent border patrol agent killing Silverio Villegas Gonzalez just three weeks prior. I knew I had to get to safety before I was dragged from my car and likely beaten or killed.

[00:04:57:07 – 00:05:19:55]

I drove forward and went around the border patrol agents who jumped out of his car and pointed his gun at me. I moved to the far left lane, striking the curve on the far left side of Kensey. The next thing I knew, I felt a burning sensation in my arms, legs, and that I had been shot by pepper balls, which I also see these agents fired at people in our community.

[00:05:21:42 – 00:05:31:22]

As I continue to drive past the border patrol agents, I could hear my back passenger window shattered and I felt bullets continue to pierce my body.

[00:05:32:23 – 00:05:43:55]

As I attempted to drive to a safe location, I began to feel lightheaded. I looked down and I noticed blood gushing out of my arms and legs and I realized I’ve been shot multiple times.

[00:05:45:38 – 00:05:51:03]

As I became lightheaded, I became worried. I will pass out and endanger other drivers on the road.

[00:05:53:15 – 00:05:57:45]

I managed to drive a mile from where the incident happened

[00:05:58:45 – 00:06:03:00]

and I pulled into a parking lot of a mechanic shop and I called 911.

[00:06:04:57 – 00:06:31:39]

I told the 911 operator that border patrol agents had just shot me and I needed help. I recalled some of the workers from the shop sitting me down in the chair as I was waiting for help, but I was losing this battle. I saw my life flash before me and slowly began to think this was the end for me and before losing consciousness, the next thing I remember is the EMT putting me on a stretcher, taking me to the hospital.

[00:06:34:16 – 00:07:07:30]

At the hospital, I remember seeing multiple agents standing around watching me be treated for my wounds. My arms, legs and chest were all wrapped in bandages. I had seven bullet holes in my body. I remember the agents rushing the nurses to finish up so they could take me with them. I still felt dizzy. I was not able to fully process what had happened to me. After being at the hospital for less than three hours, I was discharged from the hospital and took custody of the FBI.

[00:07:08:46 – 00:07:13:16]

As we left the hospital, I was escorted out through the back in a wheelchair.

[00:07:14:43 – 00:07:25:20]

I observed over dozens of border patrol agents waiting outside the hospital. One of them, one of the agents came out to me with his cell phone and took a photograph of me.

[00:07:26:21 – 00:07:34:38]

It was the same agent who had previously kept coming in and out of my room and I had to repeatedly tell him to leave.

[00:07:35:46 – 00:07:39:07]

I told him I did not consent for him to photograph me.

[00:07:41:05 – 00:07:46:11]

But he did not care. It still haunts me that this agent has my photo on his phone.

[00:07:47:15 – 00:07:48:51]

Was this the agent that shot me?

[00:07:50:05 – 00:08:03:31]

Was this a trophy for him? I was next taken to the FBI building for further processing because they rushed me out of the hospital so quickly the blood started soaking through the bandages.

[00:08:04:46 – 00:08:20:56]

I heard the agents talking about how the jail will not accept me in this current condition. I begged the agents to take me to a different hospital to give me proper medical care. Seeing me stand in a pool of my own blood, they were concerned about my health.

[00:08:22:53 – 00:08:31:49]

One of the kind FBI agents brought a bag of additional bandages and worked quickly to pour more dressings over my bloody bandages.

[00:08:34:39 – 00:08:43:44]

The FBI agents agreed to take me to a different hospital where my wounds were treated again and I received additional medical care before being released back into law enforcement.

[00:08:44:45 – 00:08:52:58]

Before being released back to law enforcement custody the following day.

[00:08:56:07 – 00:09:08:14]

The agents took me from the second hospital to the Federal Detention Center in downtown Chicago. I had never even had a parking ticket before and now I was sitting in Federal Detention Center.

[00:09:09:32 – 00:09:15:07]

Just for being the victim in a minor traffic accident, things were surreal.

[00:09:17:39 – 00:09:38:44]

The news and the jail that evening had my story and was being called a domestic terrorist. They said I quote unquote ran Federal agents. I was in shock. If they only knew I was a month away from paying off my truck and I would never intentionally damage my vehicle, much less be crazy than I would have been.

[00:09:39:47 – 00:09:42:21]

Much less be crazy enough to hit a law enforcement.

[00:09:44:35 – 00:10:05:44]

On Friday I was teaching the young children at the Montesori School and we were singing and dancing and getting ready for spooky season, preparing for activities to do the following week. And on Saturday my own government was calling me a domestic terrorist and I was in Federal Detention Centers with the bullet holes all over my body.

[00:10:09:21 – 00:10:24:20]

I went to court on Monday and I met my attorney Christopher Parente. He told me the government was trying to have me kept in jail until the trial because they claimed I was a danger to the community.

[00:10:25:37 – 00:10:48:10]

I told them I had never been in trouble before and that the government claims were all wrong. I looked around the courtroom and I recognized over dozens, mom and dad from the Montesori School, along with my boss and most of my family members who came to support me. I heard my attorney tell the judge that he had received over 50 letters from the moms and dads from the kids.

[00:10:49:45 – 00:10:54:53]

All describing me as caring, loving and pathetic teacher,

[00:10:56:00 – 00:10:59:04]

the exact opposite of a domestic terrorist.

[00:11:01:20 – 00:11:11:50]

I heard the government describe me as being armed, even though I knew my gun was always inside my snap-close holster at the bottom of my purse where I always kept in.

[00:11:13:10 – 00:11:24:13]

The prosecutor told the judge there was no allegation that I have took the gun out of my purse but that did not stop DHS from continuing to say I was armed.

[00:11:25:20 – 00:11:38:02]

During this incident my attorney explained to the judge that I have a valid concealed carry license and that as a young woman living in Chicago, I carry a gun to protect me from danger.

[00:11:39:05 – 00:11:44:43]

Thankfully the judge quickly denied the government’s detention request and released me on bond that day.

[00:11:47:24 – 00:12:19:34]

Over the next six weeks everything was surreal. I continued to work and teach my children by knowing that I was under federal indictment and facing felony charges and potentially years in federal prison over a minor car accident where the other driver was at fault and attempted to kill me was terrifying. There was times where I did not believe this was all real and then I would touch my bullet wounds and knew it was suddenly real. Imagine waking up every morning, reliving this trauma.

[00:12:22:36 – 00:12:48:14]

I would go to work each day to take care of my children. I knew my attorney was hard at work and exposing the lies of eyes. I knew the truth of what happened. The agents swerving to me. The agents shot me as I drove away from him. My attorney and his investigators found videos, evidence demonstrating the agents were lying and I knew that no press release or tweak whoever trumped the power of the truth.

[00:12:51:17 – 00:13:07:03]

Two weeks before the government dismissed all the charges in my case I sat in federal court and watched from 20 feet away as the border patrol agent who attempted to kill me testified at a hearing. Agent Charles Exum

[00:13:08:30 – 00:13:19:44]

Charles Exum my attempted executioner, was Charles Exum I hope the government does not consider my use of his name here to be considered doxxing.

[00:13:20:45 – 00:13:42:27]

But I think it is important now that the truth is out of this case is exposed that people know his name, Charles Exum, Exum was in the courtroom testifying attempting to weave a coherent story explaining why he took his vehicle that I allegedly rammed out of the secure FBI evidence garage

[00:13:43:45 – 00:13:51:37]

and drove it back to Maine where the border patrol onsite mechanic was ordered to buff out the damages of the vehicle.

[00:13:53:05 – 00:14:05:15]

This was all done prior to me or my attorney having the ability to examine the vehicle because he did this no expert witness will ever be able to prove that it was Exum who swerved into my vehicle.

[00:14:06:35 – 00:15:07:13]

Watching Charles Exum testify made me sick to my stomach. I grew up revering law enforcement. Prior to this incident I had great respect for local and federal law enforcement. I knew every day they put their lives on the lines to keep me safe, to keep the kids at my school safe. And I thought to keep everyone in our community safe. But seeing what ICE was doing in our community at this time changed my view of law enforcement. This administration has misled the American people by claiming it will focus on the “worst of the worst” while their actions show otherwise. Evidence from these operations including statements made on their oath reveals a pattern of misleading the public. The government told the people they were targeting the worst of the worst but their actions demonstrated otherwise. They are not targeting the worst of the worst. They are targeting individuals who fit a certain profile, who simply have a certain accent.

[00:15:08:25 – 00:15:10:44]

A non-whiteskin color just like me.

[00:15:11:45 – 00:15:17:41]

This raises serious concerns about fairness, discrimination, and abuse of authority.

[00:15:18:58 – 00:15:22:46]

The lack of accountability for these actions is deeply troubling.

[00:15:24:16 – 00:15:29:01]

We the people are tired of this misconduct and demand transparency and accountability.

[00:15:30:49 – 00:15:50:20]

Seeing Charles Exum sit in federal court room and lie about what happened that day completely eroded all my trust in law enforcement. I know just because Exum is not telling the truth that I cannot hold that against all other law enforcements. But to be honest, I don’t know if I will ever view law enforcement the same way again.

[00:15:54:14 – 00:16:04:44]

As my attorney showed the court that disgusting text messages Exum sent to his fellow border patrol buddies literally bragging about how many times he shot me.

[00:16:05:45 – 00:16:20:38]

I got sick to my stomach seeing how a federal law enforcement officer will talk this way about shooting me. A woman who he swore into was both eye-opening and heartbreaking.

[00:16:23:41 – 00:16:45:43]

Thankfully I survived Exum’s attempted murder of me and was able to shine a light on his lies. But what about all the others who either did not survive or were not fortunate enough to have videos proving the agents’ lies. I know deep down this was God’s purpose in having me survive Exum five bullets.

[00:16:47:29 – 00:17:00:37]

It was for this moment to happen so that the world could see these text messages which were a window into the soul of the USA border patrol at this critical time in our country history.

[00:17:01:57 – 00:17:15:02]

14 days after Exum was confronted with his own disgusting text messages, my attorney called me with the wonderful news that the government was dismissing all my charges against me.

[00:17:16:29 – 00:17:59:55]

We showed up in court later that day and some of the same parents from the Montessori school who came to support me at my arrangement were there again. This time with tears in their eyes as they heard Judge Alexakis tell me I was free to go and the charges were dismissed with prejudice. I have learned that surviving the physical wound was only the beginning of this long and painful journey. The real battle started after. In the weeks that followed, I thought I would feel great but still struggle. I struggled with the memories of the day, the initial swerving into me by Agent Exum The shots ringing out and the burning sensation as the bullets ripped through my skin and body.

[00:18:01:28 – 00:18:11:01]

The images of the puddles of blood dripping from my dressings, listening to FBI agents arguing about whether the jail will accept me in this condition.

[00:18:12:29 – 00:18:53:28]

Later in federal prison, staring out through a small window looking out into Clark Street. As I struggle every day with the physical pain and the suffering, I cannot close my hand yet to hold the pen. I try to play with the children at my school and I am in a significant pain as I attempt to do things I was easily able to do before October 4. I attend weekly physical therapy sessions to work on these issues and hope one day I can move in the same way I was able to move prior to October 4.

[00:18:55:36 – 00:19:16:35]

I know that what happened to me in the matter of seconds on October 4 will unfortunately be with me for a lifetime. The physical scars will always be there in the mornings and evenings when I get dressed and I stare at my body now permanently disfigured by the five lead bullets Exum fired into me.

[00:19:17:51 – 00:19:27:44]

They will be there this summer when I head to the beach with my dogs and family. They will be there when I get down on the floor with my students and work with them on their motor skills.

[00:19:28:45 – 00:19:41:52]

And perhaps even worse, the mental scars will always be there as a reminder of the time my own government attempted to execute me and when they fell, they chose to vilify me.

[00:19:42:55 – 00:19:50:44]

I am Renee Goode. I am Alex Pretti. I am Silverio Villagas Gonzalez. I am Keith Porter. They should all be here today.

[00:19:51:45 – 00:20:03:47]

I know each of them will trade my bullet wounds and lifetime of mental distress and a heartbeat to be able to be back with their loved ones this afternoon.

[00:20:04:50 – 00:20:10:44]

And we must also remember the countless other souls who lost their lives at the hands of these entrusted with authority.

[00:20:11:45 – 00:20:36:44]

I know that by being a survivor, it is my duty to be here today to let you elected officials know what is happening on the streets of our country because silence is no longer an option. This needs to stop now. Why do we continue to wait for more public executions when we have already seen the evidence in our TVs and computer screens?

[00:20:37:45 – 00:20:47:43]

We have heard the testimonies. We have watched the pain unfold in real time. How many more lives must be lost before meaningful action is taken?

[00:20:48:51 – 00:21:04:44]

The United States is and will always be a country of immigrants, built by immigrants. We are a country of love and tolerance. This is the land of the free, the land of the opportunity and the great nation that people around the world aspire to call home.

[00:21:05:45 – 00:21:48:21]

And prior to this recent war on immigrants, we were a country where law enforcement acted lawfully and appropriately, with respect of all human life. I am happy to see people of different nationalities speak up. This is the spirit of love, unity, and courage. This will make America great. I am asking you today, pleading with you, to please help bring back the America I grew up loving and idolizing. In America, the values human dignity protects life and lives up to the ideals our founding fathers probably proclaim. If there’s no justice for the people, let there be no peace for the government. Thank you for your time.

///

Miramar Martinez American Citizen’s brave testimony before Congress after getting shot 5 times and leaving 7 bullet holes by ICE. In it’s entirety this is the testimony that should have been heard around the world last week

The agent, Charles Exum, shot Marimar Martinez five times on Oct. 4, after she allegedly rammed her car into agents’ vehicles. Martinez denies ramming them and said agents were the aggressors. Exum did not have his body camera turned on during the incident.

In one text message previously released, he bragged about his shooting skills, writing: “I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.”

Government lawyers argued that the release of Exum’s text messages would further sully the agent and his family.

The judge pushed back. “I don’t know why the United States government has expressed zero concern for the sullying of Ms. Martinez’s reputation,” Alexakis said.

 

 

Thanks,