Mario Alberto Morales, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who surrendered to Harris County authorities on November 2, 2026, following an indictment for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, previously pursued public office in South Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, Morales campaigned for a Brownsville City Council seat before seeking the Republican nomination for Texas’ 34th Congressional District. Federal Election Commission records confirm that Morales, who campaigned as “Bam Morales,” registered as a congressional candidate on May 16, 2025.