ICE halts most vehicle stops nationwide after fatal shootings in Texas and Maine

The fallout from two fatal shootings during stops in Texas and Maine continues to grow, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will halt vehicle stops related to immigration enforcement, according to Reuters. The suspension will apply in most circumstances except for serious criminal targets, and will remain in effect until new training on vehicle stops is approved by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and delivered to agents in the field, Fox News reported.

It marked a significant policy shift for an agency that has largely brushed off mounting criticism over allegations of excessive force resulting in deaths during its operations. The shift comes one day after an ICE officer fatally shot a driver in the coastal Maine town of Biddeford, about 15 miles south of Portland. Asked for comment by the New York Times, the agency said that it does not discuss its enforcement tactics with the media.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins was among those who called for a pause in a statement: "While the investigation of the Biddeford shooting is not yet complete, it raises sufficient critical questions that I spoke with DHS Secretary Mullin last night and urged him to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops." The policy change can have massive implications on ICE's deportation figures because many of ICE's arrests begin as vehicle stops, used to locate and follow a target before making an arrest, Fox News' Bill Melugin explained.

The man killed in Maine was Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian national, who allegedly attempted to flee in his vehicle after ICE agents tried to stop him. DHS reportedly said ICE "was conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal" when the officer opened fire "fearing for public safety," without detailing how Guerrero may have posed a threat. In videos circulating online, the victim is seen being pulled from the vehicle and placed on the ground after the shooting.

The incident sparked outrage, with demonstrators gathering at the scene to voice their anger. Sen. Angus King, an independent, said he spoke with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin about the matter and has called for a fully independent investigation, not one run solely by federal agencies. King also raised concerns about the agents not wearing body cameras, questioning how accountability can be achieved when critical questions remain unanswered.

An independent probe was also demanded in the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who was killed during a stop despite not being the target. The 52-year-old had lived in Houston for 35 years and had no criminal record, raising further questions about ICE's operating procedures. Guerrero's death marked at least the ninth death during President Donald Trump's hardline immigration campaign.