ICE suspends vehicle stops and checks following deadly shooting in Maine
Under the policy established by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), officers may use deadly force only when there is an "imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death" to themselves or others; the use of such force is not permitted "solely for the purpose of stopping a fleeing suspect."
WASHINGTON:- According to a source within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suspended vehicle stops for immigration enforcement operations on Tuesday following separate incidents in Texas and Maine—occurring just six days apart—in which two men were fatally shot by agents during traffic stops.
This policy change was implemented the day after an ICE officer killed a driver in Biddeford, a coastal city located approximately 15 miles south of Portland.
About 12 hours after the shooting, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a statement indicating that an officer fired their weapon due to “public safety concerns” as the driver attempted to flee from officers trying to stop the vehicle.
Officials have not clarified how the driver posed a threat to the public or how that justified the use of lethal force.
Under the policy established by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), officers may use deadly force only when there is an “imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death” to themselves or others; the use of such force is not permitted “solely for the purpose of stopping a fleeing suspect.”
Although some video footage from the aftermath has been released, no video showing the actual shooting has been made public. According to journalists, Maine Independent Senator Angus King has indicated that the agents involved in the incident were wearing body cameras; however, questions surrounding the shooting itself remain unanswered.
According to the DHS, agents were conducting surveillance at the last known address of an individual who had received a final deportation order. Officers followed the individual’s car after he left the residence.
According to a spokesperson for the senator, DHS official Markwayne Mullin informed ‘King’ that the deceased individual was not the primary target of the operation.
Immigration rights activists have stated that the person who was shot is a 26-year-old Colombian man who held a U.S. work permit. The shooting incident on Monday immediately sparked protests, and further demonstrations are taking place on Tuesday.
According to a lawyer, the number of arrests made by ICE in Maine has more than quadrupled since the beginning of June, reaching a daily average of approximately 70 by early July.
Including Monday’s killing and another incident in Houston last week, the number of people shot and killed during immigration enforcement operations since January 2025 has reached at least seven.
An ICE spokesperson said, “We are constantly evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and keep criminals off the streets. We will not disclose or discuss law enforcement strategies.”
ICE stated that Salgado, a Mexican national who has been living illegally in the U.S. for over three decades, rammed his van into a law enforcement vehicle and attempted to kill an officer who fired in self-defense.
ICE has not presented any evidence to support its claim. In incidents over the past year, statements from ICE and DHS regarding the use of force have been contradicted by video footage or other evidence.
Although the Trump administration had scaled back immigrant roundups in Democratic-led cities, the arrest of immigrants has increased this week. An ICE operation in Minnesota last January faced intense criticism after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents.
