ICE Issues Nationwide Pause on Vehicle Stops Following Two Fatal Shootings

ICE told to halt most vehicle – US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has directed its agents to suspend most vehicle stop operations across the country. This significant directive comes in the wake of two separate fatal shootings involving ICE personnel—one in Texas and another in Maine. According to reports from American media outlets referencing anonymous law enforcement sources, the temporary suspension will cover the majority of circumstances, though it will not apply to situations involving serious criminal targets.

A Major Policy Reversal

This development represents a substantial policy change for the immigration enforcement agency. Over the past twelve months, ICE has encountered mounting criticism regarding allegations of excessive force and increased scrutiny surrounding deaths that have occurred during its operations. The BBC has reached out to the US Department of Homeland Security to request comment on this newly implemented policy.

A DHS spokesperson declined to provide detailed remarks, instead telling reporters:

“We are always evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and criminals off our streets. We will not disclose or discuss law enforcement tactics.”

The Maine Shooting

In the most recent tragic incident, an ICE agent fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian national during an immigration enforcement operation. The shooting occurred in Biddeford, Maine, located approximately 24 kilometers or 15 miles south of Portland. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the officer opened fire because he was “fearing for public safety” when the man attempted to flee the scene of the operation after agents tried to stop his vehicle.

The department did not elaborate on the specific threat the man posed. Immigration advocates have stated that the victim, identified by local lawmakers and neighbors as Joan Sebastian Guerrero though not yet officially named, was authorized to work in the United States and possessed a social security number. The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine issued a joint statement describing his death as “devastating, enraging, and unacceptable.”

The Houston Incident

Less than seven days before the Maine shooting, another man was killed by an ICE officer in Houston, Texas. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national who had resided in the United States for decades, was stopped at 07:00 local time (12:00 GMT) while driving to work and died shortly afterward.

DHS stated last Thursday that the stop was initiated because officers observed “a white van with an individual who resembled the target” of an operation. The department maintained that the officer shot in self-defense and that Araujo was not the person ICE was seeking. However, passengers in the van and the victim’s family have challenged the department’s version of events. Additionally, the agency’s legal watchdog has launched an investigation into the fatal shooting.

Broader Context and Political Response

Both the Maine and Texas shootings have sparked protests across the region. These demonstrations follow similar actions that took place throughout the country earlier this year after the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Both 37-year-old US citizens were shot and killed by ICE agents in January during raids in Minneapolis.

On the political front, US President Donald Trump subsequently replaced Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary with Markwayne Mullin, a senator from Oklahoma. Former border patrol chief Gregory Bovino was also replaced in the days following these changes. President Trump launched a campaign of mass deportations shortly after returning to the White House, fulfilling one of his major campaign promises.

According to Reuters, at least seven people have been killed in immigration enforcement operations since January 2025. This growing toll has intensified calls for policy review and greater transparency from immigration enforcement agencies.