BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) – A federal immigration officer fatally shot a motorist in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday, marking the second incident of deadly force employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in just a week.
U.S. Senator Angus King of Maine reported that Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin informed officers involved in the incident that the officers fired upon the man after he allegedly attempted to use his vehicle as a weapon. Biddeford, a coastal city with a population of approximately 23,000, is located about 15 miles southwest of Portland.
According to King, “The Secretary described the situation by saying the car was ‘weaponized.’ Unfortunately, the individual was shot and killed by ICE agents.” Witnesses around the scene provide conflicting accounts, with Corey Poulin, who owns a nearby laundromat, stating that security footage captured the man’s car moving erratically at the intersection following the shooting. Reportedly, images from the scene also indicated a bullet hole in the windshield.
Poulin said, “Two ICE agents rushed towards the intersection while another pulled a Ford SUV into the area to prevent the vehicle from rolling further.” He expressed uncertainty regarding the driver’s condition, implying that he may not have been alive when the car began to move. Meanwhile, Maine State Police have requested that the footage remain undisclosed at this time.
Senator King pointed out that the ICE agents involved in the shooting were not wearing body cameras, complicating the investigation, which is currently being led by the FBI. He reflected, “The key question is how the driver behaved with his vehicle. Were the officers legitimately threatened, and did that threat justify the use of deadly force?” He pledged to ensure that the investigation is both transparent and thorough.
Advocates identify the victim as a young Colombian national
The deceased has been identified as a 26-year-old Colombian citizen authorized to work in the United States and possessing a Social Security number, as stated in a joint release from the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition and Presente!. Advocacy group executive director Mufaro Chitam shared that the man’s family reached out for support via their hotline after the incident.
“He was leaving his home to go to work,” Chitam explained. The family, however, is not ready to publicly identify him or discuss the tragedy further. Chitam added, “We are devastated and enraged, and we refuse to accept that his death is just another statistic.” He questioned how much more suffering communities must endure before decisive action is taken against such incidents.
Protests erupt in response to the shooting
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, a group of anti-ICE demonstrators assembled in Biddeford. Amy Goodman from Wells, who participated in the protest, held a sign that declared “Stop Killing Us,” directed at law enforcement on the scene. “This has become all too frequent, and it angers me deeply,” she shared, wearing a shirt that read “ICE is at its best when it’s busted.”
Molly Zucker, a friend of Goodman, added, “I considered turning myself in because it was so heartbreaking to witness.” She carried a sign reading, “Humans Are Not Illegal.” Law enforcement barricaded the area around the shooting site, which is predominantly surrounded by apartments, churches, and local businesses.
Immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has intensified
The recent shooting in Maine marks the ninth fatal encounter involving federal immigration agents since the onset of the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies. It is notably the second deadly incident within a week, following a shooting in Houston. The ongoing immigration clampdown facilitated substantial ICE arrests, as seen in a recent operation that apprehended over 10,000 individuals across multiple states.
Maine Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree expressed concern, questioning, “What prompts ICE’s presence in Maine?” Meanwhile, Democrat Shena Bellows, running for the Senate, made a statement via social media declaring, “It’s time to remove ICE from our streets.”
Previous ICE actions have sparked significant backlash
This incident is not the first time ICE has faced scrutiny in Maine. Earlier this year, large demonstrations opposed the agency’s activities, emphasizing the community’s discontent. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, branded a crackdown operation as “Catch of the Day,” a nod to Maine’s fishing industry, similar to previous operations in other states.
In late January, ICE paused enhanced operations in Maine after conducting numerous arrests. A spokesperson explained that many of those taken into custody were individuals with serious criminal backgrounds; however, court documents indicate that some had pending immigration cases and others had been arrested without convictions. ICE arrest data reveals that since the start of Trump’s second term, 546 people have been apprehended in Maine, with approximately 45% having prior criminal records.
Last winter saw intensified criticism aimed at the Trump administration’s immigration policies, especially following incidents leading to fatalities. Most recently, ICE officials were involved in a chase that resulted in the death of Salgado Araujo, who was driving workers to a construction site. This ongoing narrative raises pressing questions about the agency’s operations and the implications for communities nationwide.
