U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been involved in three deadly incidents within a week, including two fatal shootings of immigrants. With limited evidence to justify the actions, ICE’s conduct has drawn widespread condemnation. On July 14, the U.S. government urgently ordered ICE agents to suspend traffic stops.
According to ABC News, on July 7, 52-year-old Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by ICE personnel in Houston, Texas. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed the “illegal alien” was “resisting arrest” and “trying to ram a vehicle into an officer.” Just six days later, tragedy struck again. On July 13, 26-year-old Colombian national Guerrero was shot dead after being intercepted by ICE agents while driving in Biddeford, Maine. Maine Senator Angus King told ABC News that ICE’s operation was originally targeting a different person slated for deportation.
As controversy over the first two cases simmered, on July 14, in a gas station parking lot in Florida, ICE and DHS agents attempted to apprehend individuals in a car. Four people fled on foot, and a 28-year-old man was tragically struck and killed by a passing vehicle. Reuters reported that the circumstances of his death remain unclear, and police have not responded to inquiries.
With three deaths in a week, ICE’s enforcement tactics are under renewed scrutiny. Regarding the first two fatal shootings, DHS and ICE have uniformly claimed that officers fired in self-defense due to a threat to their safety. But this narrative is being challenged. The Washington Post, citing three witnesses, reported that the Mexican man killed in Texas did not “attempt to ram officers” and that an agent shot at them almost immediately after exiting the vehicle.
Reuters noted that there is no video or other reliable evidence to support the claim that the two victims posed a lethal threat to officers or the public. The report also revealed that the ICE agents involved in the Maine shooting weren’t even wearing body cameras.
In recent days, anger toward ICE has spread rapidly, prompting protests in several parts of Maine. Demonstrators held signs reading “Stop the Killing” and “End This Terror,” while some openly called the agents involved murderers and demanded ICE leave the state.
ICE’s actions in Maine have also sparked a diplomatic incident. According to Newsweek, Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a statement on social media platform X on July 14, labeling the killing of Colombian national Guerrero as a “murder supported by the U.S. government.” He instructed Colombia’s embassy in the U.S. to take both legal and humanitarian actions to hold those responsible accountable. He also publicly urged President Donald Trump to provide a formal explanation and response.
Amid widespread criticism of ICE’s enforcement, the Associated Press reported on July 14, citing sources, that the U.S. government has ordered ICE to pause traffic stops. The Atlantic reported that the decision was made by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, with support from ICE’s acting director. DHS responded in a statement: “We are continually evaluating our procedures to ensure the safety of our officers and to bring criminals to justice. We do not disclose or discuss enforcement strategies.”
The Washington Post cited experts who noted that ICE has typically focused on arresting illegal immigrants in jails and detention centers. However, under the Trump administration’s push for mass deportations, agents face pressure to ramp up arrests, leading to more vehicle stops and increased risks. Former ICE acting director John Sandweg said: “This is asking agents to do things that aren’t their core mission. They don’t have the same experience or training as city patrol officers. This practice must be paused.” David Harris, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh, added that firing at moving vehicles poses a significant danger to bystanders.
Since the U.S. government intensified immigration enforcement last year, at least 10 people have died in such operations. In January, immigration agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, sparking protests nationwide.