BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) – A federal immigration agent shot and killed a motorist in Maine on Monday, marking the second incident in just one week where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have resorted to deadly force. Immigrant rights advocates have identified the victim as a 26-year-old Colombian national.
Senator Angus King, I-Maine, reported that Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin informed law enforcement pursuing the man for deportation that the agents fired their weapons after the man allegedly attempted to use his vehicle as a weapon. “He was in a car and was pulled from it. The Secretary described the car as ‘weaponized,’ leading to the shooting,” expressed King.
The Maine Attorney General’s Office, which is collaborating with the FBI and other entities in the ongoing investigation, indicated that initial statements suggest the driver was trying to escape law enforcement. The office confirmed that the man was the subject of enforcement action linked to a final removal order, and the agent involved has been placed on administrative leave.
Multiple requests for comments from both ICE and the Maine Department of Public Safety have gone unanswered.
Work Authorization Confirmed by Advocates
Organizations including the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition and Presente! have stated that the deceased was legally authorized to work in the United States and possessed a valid Social Security number. Mufaro Chitam, Executive Director of the Coalition, mentioned that the victim’s family reached out for assistance following the tragic incident.
“He was a young family man leaving home for work,” Chitam detailed to The Associated Press, noting that the family is currently not ready to speak publicly about the event.
Mary Hayes, a local resident, shared her sorrow and witnessed the aftermath of the shooting, describing how the man’s wife was found on her knees, grieving beside his body. “I watched a little girl crying with a pink backpack because she will never see her father again,” she said, holding a sign stating “NO ICE Stop ICE.”
The Colombian embassy has confirmed ongoing communication with U.S. authorities as they work to establish the victim’s identity and nationality.
Security Footage Raises Questions
Cory Poulin, whose family operates a nearby laundromat, revealed that security cameras recorded the man’s vehicle crashing into an intersection shortly after the shooting. Additional footage shows the car swerving, with a bullet hole visibly punctured in the windshield.
“Two ICE agents rushed to the intersection while another officer used an SUV to stop the vehicle from rolling,” he recounted. “While I don’t know all the details, it seems he wasn’t alive when the car started to move.” Maine State Police have requested that this troubling footage not be made public.
Senator King noted that the agents involved did not have body-worn cameras, raising significant concerns regarding the events leading up to the shooting. “What actions did he take with his vehicle? Were the officers genuinely threatened? The essence of this investigation is to answer these essential questions,” he added.
Demonstrations Erupt in Response
Following the shooting, dozens of demonstrators gathered in Biddeford to express their outrage towards ICE and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Amy Goodman, a local resident, carried a placard stating “Stop Killing Us,” aimed at officers present.
“We have been witnessing similar incidents far too often, and it angers me,” Goodman remarked, donning a shirt with the phrase “ICE is at its best when it’s busted.”
Another protester, Molly Zucker, said, “It was heartbreaking. I felt compelled to come and stand in solidarity.” As they gathered, police impeded access to the scene, which consists mainly of residential buildings and small businesses.
“We are both saddened and outraged. This incident cannot be dismissed as routine,” Chitam emphasized. “How much longer must our communities bear this suffering before decisive action is taken?”
Escalation of Immigration Enforcement Under Trump
This shooting in Maine marks at least the ninth fatality involving federal immigration agents since President Trump’s administration intensified its immigration enforcement policies, including another killing of a man in Houston earlier this week.
These tragic incidents have come amid intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration’s mass deportation strategy. Over a five-day period at the end of June alone, ICE apprehended over 10,000 individuals, indicating a rapid rise in arrests despite the absence of crackdowns in specific cities.
Maine Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree voiced her frustration, asking in a social media video, “Why are we in Maine?” Meanwhile, Maine Secretary of State Shena Bellows, a Democratic Senate hopeful, called for the removal of ICE from local streets through various social media platforms.
Significant ICE Activity Reported in Maine
Earlier this year, ICE’s significant presence in Maine triggered numerous protests across the state. The Department of Homeland Security characterized one operation, labeled “Catch of the Day” in a nod to Maine’s seafood industry, similarly to previous initiatives in other regions.
By late January, immigration officials announced the suspension of heightened operations following hundreds of arrests, although reports indicated that those apprehended had been convicted of severe offenses, including aggravated assault and child endangerment.
Data compiled for the University of California, Berkeley Deportation Data Project disclosed that from the beginning of Trump’s second term until March 11, 2026, ICE executed 546 arrests in Maine, with around 45% of those individuals having prior criminal records. In stark contrast, approximately 69% of those arrested in the preceding 416 days had criminal backgrounds.
Last winter’s ICE actions faced backlash after the tragic murders of Alex Preti and Renee Good in Minnesota. Additionally, just last week, a federal agent fatally shot 52-year-old Salgado Araujo in Houston as he was transporting construction workers to a job site.
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Cory Poulin’s first name.
Willingham reported from Boston and Brook from New Orleans. Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak in New York, Aaron Kessler in Washington, and Kate Brumbach in Atlanta contributed to this report.
