Colombian national killed by ICE agent during operation in Maine
It comes less than a week after an undocumented migrant was fatally shot in Houston by an immigration agent.
Colombian National Shot Dead by ICE Agent During Maine Operation
A Colombian national was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an immigration enforcement operation in Maine, just a week after another migrant was fatally shot by the agency during a traffic stop in Texas.
In this recent incident, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that agents were monitoring a location in Biddeford around 7:00 AM EDT (11:00 GMT) for an individual with a final order of removal.
When ICE attempted to stop a vehicle leaving that address, the agency stated that "the vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon," resulting in the driver being struck.
Following the shooting, numerous demonstrators gathered in Biddeford. ICE did not provide specific reasons for the officer's concerns about safety.
Maine's Attorney General, Aaron Frey, confirmed that the incident involved an officer from ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations division, and the agent has been placed on leave while an investigation is conducted. Frey noted that initial reports suggest "the subject attempted to flee in a vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot."
The identity of the deceased has not been released pending formal identification and family notification. The investigation is being taken over by the inspector general's office for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, as stated by Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine.
Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, mentioned that he was initially informed by DHS chief Markwayne Mullin that the deceased was the target of an arrest warrant in an immigration operation. However, he later received a call from Mullin clarifying that the man was not the target of a warrant, according to his office's communication with the BBC.
The Colombian Embassy confirmed that the individual killed was a Colombian national and stated it has "requested information and clarification" from DHS regarding the circumstances of this tragic death and will continue to monitor the case as the investigation unfolds.
The Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition reported that the deceased was a 26-year-old Colombian who was authorized to work in the United States. "He was a member of our community, a neighbor, and a human being whose life was cut tragically short," the organization said in a statement, without naming the individual.
Protests erupted in Biddeford, located 18 miles (30 km) south of Portland, following the shooting, with some demonstrators gathering outside Collins' office to protest her vote to fund ICE. Collins has called for a "full and impartial investigation of what happened."
A witness told the Biddeford Gazette that around 7:20 AM local time, he observed flashing lights from an unmarked white SUV and "at least two officers wearing green ICE vests." Lucas Scott, a resident of Biddeford, reported that the agents were shouting as they surrounded a white sedan, followed by the sound of at least four gunshots.
Another witness, speaking to the Associated Press (AP), noted that the deceased lived nearby with his wife and daughter. "I watched a wife fall to her knees looking at her husband's dead body on the ground," Mary Hayes recounted. "I watched a little girl crying with a little pink backpack on because she's never going to see her father again."
Senator King stated that Mullin informed him the man was shot after allegedly attempting to drive his vehicle at the police. "He was in a vehicle - pulled out in the vehicle, and the term the secretary used was 'weaponized' the vehicle and was shot by an ICE agent," King explained. He also mentioned that the officers involved did not have body cameras, and that the investigation would determine whether the use of deadly force was justified. "That's what this investigation is all about, and I certainly intend to stay on top of it to ensure the investigation is as transparent and thorough as possible," King said, according to the AP.
This incident has reignited scrutiny of DHS and ICE. On July 7, an ICE officer shot and killed 52-year-old builder Lorenzo Salgado Araujo while he was driving to a construction site in Houston. Federal officials later acknowledged that the Mexican man was not the intended target of the operation, but claimed he had attempted to run over an ICE agent.
Mullin took over as head of DHS in March, succeeding Kristi Noem after her dismissal by President Donald Trump. Noem's time in office included fatal shootings of two protesters, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both American citizens, by immigration officers. These deaths occurred following the Trump administration's announcement of increased immigration enforcement in Minnesota and other states. A similar operation, dubbed Operation Catch of the Day, was launched in Maine in January. Civil rights organizations have filed lawsuits alleging aggressive tactics by federal agents during these enforcement surges.