Late on July 13, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials announced the suspension of vehicle stops following a fatal shooting incident in Maine. Liana Castano, an ICE official, communicated this directive in an email to supervisors, stating that officers should prioritize other methods of immigration enforcement. The decision was made by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, with support from acting ICE director David Venturella. The suspension follows increased immigration arrests, which have nearly doubled in recent weeks, and concerns over the safety and training of officers conducting vehicle stops.
The officer involved in the Maine shooting was a recent recruit from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Police and had been in federal law enforcement since 2017. The shooting resulted in the death of Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old man who was not the intended target of the operation. The FBI and DHS's internal affairs division are investigating both the Maine shooting and a previous incident in Houston, where another fatal shooting occurred during an ICE operation.
Concerns have been raised regarding the training of new ICE recruits, particularly in safely conducting vehicle stops. Veteran officials noted that many new hires received less training than typically required for law enforcement officers. The use of unmarked vehicles by ICE officers has also been criticized for potentially escalating situations during traffic stops. ICE’s new policy aims to mitigate risks associated with vehicle stops following the recent incidents.