Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) announced on Tuesday that she will urge Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to suspend all non-urgent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle stops. This follows a shooting incident on Monday in which a 26-year-old Colombian national was killed during an ICE enforcement operation in Biddeford, Maine. Collins stated that the investigation into the shooting raises significant concerns, prompting her to contact Mullin to request the halt of non-urgent stops.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the individual shot was not the target of the arrest warrant being executed. Senator Angus King (I-ME) confirmed this information, citing details from Mullin. A former senior official from the Trump administration indicated that ICE officers nationwide have been instructed to cease vehicle stops immediately.
The shooting has also impacted the Maine Senate race, particularly after the Democratic nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race. Collins, seeking a sixth term, faces Democratic candidates State Senator Troy Jackson and former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, both of whom participated in an anti-ICE protest in Biddeford. During the protest, Jackson criticized ICE's funding and called for its abolition, stating that law enforcement should not be exempt from accountability.
Collins defended ICE's role while acknowledging the need for performance improvements, stating that calls for the agency's abolition overlook its essential safety functions. The recent shooting follows another incident in Texas where an ICE agent shot and killed a Mexican national after he allegedly attempted to run over federal officers.