ICE Temporarily Suspends Vehicle Stops, Sources Report
Tyunews.com – Following two fatal shootings in Texas and Maine, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been directed to pause vehicle stops, according to sources. The decision came after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin consulted with Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, who reportedly asked him to “cease all non-urgent vehicle stops,” as relayed by a law enforcement official.
A temporary pause in vehicle stops will remain in effect, but ICE will continue targeting high-risk individuals through this method, a source explained. The agency plans to implement new training protocols for officers to refine their approach during vehicle encounters.
Maine Shooting: Victim Not Intended Target
On July 13, 2026, an ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, resulted in the death of 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero. Senator Angus King, I-Maine, confirmed that Guerrero, a Colombian national, was not the operation’s primary focus. Agents were pursuing a different individual with a removal order when the shooting occurred.
“I heard the young man say, ‘I tried to stop.’ I clearly heard him say that,”
stated witness Daniel Boucher, who observed agents extract the victim from his vehicle and place him on the ground. Boucher also overheard an ICE officer allegedly remark that the driver attempted to run them over.
Houston Incident: Target Was Not the Victim
In a separate incident in Houston, a man was fatally shot by a federal officer. ICE clarified that the vehicle had attempted to flee the scene, prompting the officer to fire in defense of public safety. The agency emphasized that the target was a different individual, as stated by the Department of Homeland Security.
The Maine Attorney General’s Office reported that the suspect tried to escape in the vehicle, leading to the fatal shooting. While the specific details of the operation remain under review, the agency maintains that vehicle stops are used to track individuals with final removal orders.
