ICE Pauses Vehicle Stops After Deadly Shootings in Texas and Maine

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ordered a pause on all vehicle stops until further notice, a directive issued in the wake of two recent fatal shootings involving immigrants in Texas and Maine. The decision comes after officials fatally shot and killed immigrants during vehicle stops in both states within the past week.

The directive, confirmed by a homeland security source, reportedly lacked detailed explanation but follows heightened scrutiny and calls for accountability regarding deaths during immigration enforcement. The shootings have intensified debate surrounding the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies, including arrests and deportations.

In Maine, 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero was killed by an ICE official on Monday morning. This incident occurred less than a week after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot by an ICE officer in Houston, Texas, while en route to work. Both cases have sparked public outrage, prompting demands for independent investigations from communities, lawmakers, and civil liberties organizations. Notably, officials involved in both shootings were not equipped with body cameras.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the agency is continuously evaluating its procedures to ensure officer safety and remove criminals from the streets. However, the spokesperson declined to disclose or discuss specific law enforcement tactics. Fox News reported that the suspension of vehicle stops is temporary, pending new training for ICE officers on conducting such stops.

Since January 2025, federal immigration officials have been involved in 11 fatal shootings. Five of these incidents, including the deaths of Guerrero and Salgado, involved individuals in their vehicles. DHS has frequently claimed that individuals "weaponized" their vehicles against officers, leading to the use of deadly force. However, footage from some incidents has reportedly cast doubt on these official claims, leading to further controversy and calls for transparency.

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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.