Democratic Candidates in Maine Senate Race Call for Abolishing ICE Following Fatal Shooting

PORTLAND, Maine - Several candidates competing to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine are advocating for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a fatal shooting involving federal immigration officers in Biddeford. The incident occurred on Monday, July 13, 2026, when ICE agents shot and killed a man approximately 15 miles southwest of Portland. Following the shooting, four candidates joined protesters at the scene. Nirav Shah, former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated, "I think we are at the point where ICE needs to be abolished. ICE in its current form has shown itself incapable of doing its job." Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows remarked, "This is not acceptable in America. A young man, a dad, has been killed by ICE...This must stop. We need to get ICE out of the streets." Troy Jackson, a former state Senate president, and Paige Loud, a social worker and former congressional candidate, also expressed their support for abolishing ICE. The shooting in Maine is the second incident involving ICE agents using deadly force within a week, following a shooting during a traffic stop in Houston, Texas. The Maine attorney general's office, along with the FBI, is investigating the shooting, which reportedly involved a motorist attempting to flee. Two immigration advocacy groups indicated that the deceased was authorized to work in the U.S. and held a Social Security number. The incident has intensified scrutiny of federal agents and reignited protests against ICE. Collins, a Republican senator, called for a full investigation into the shooting.