Fatal ICE shooting in Maine comes just days after similar incident in Texas – US politics live

ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Driver During Enforcement Operation in Maine

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a man during a vehicle stop in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13, 2026. The incident occurred six days after a separate fatal shooting involving ICE agents in Texas. The Maine event took place at approximately 7:20 a.m. local time after agents conducted surveillance at the last known address of an individual subject to a deportation order, according to an ICE statement reported by AFP.

An ICE spokesperson stated that officers attempted to stop a vehicle that then “attempted to flee the scene,” after which an officer discharged a weapon out of concern for public safety. The driver was struck, emergency services responded, and the individual was later pronounced dead from injuries. U.S. media outlets identified the deceased as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old delivery driver who resided in Biddeford with his wife and three-year-old daughter. Rights groups also described the man as a Colombian national.

Senator Angus King stated that he had spoken with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin about the shooting. King called for continued state and local involvement in the FBI-led investigation and noted that ICE agents at the scene were not equipped with body cameras. Dozens of people gathered in Biddeford later that day and expressed opposition to the operation.

The Maine shooting followed an ICE enforcement action in Texas on July 7, 2026, in which agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. ICE statements in that case indicated the driver had rammed an agency vehicle and attempted to strike an officer. Araujo was not the individual targeted by the operation. Together the two incidents brought the total number of people fatally shot during immigration enforcement actions since January 2025 to at least seven, according to tallies compiled from public reports.

Tariff Refunds Reach $81 Billion Following Supreme Court Ruling

The U.S. government has issued $81 billion in refunds for tariffs collected under policies later ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, according to budget data released July 13, 2026. The figure covers the current fiscal year that began in October 2025 and compares with $5 billion refunded in the same period the prior year.

A Treasury Department official attributed the increase primarily to the February 2026 Supreme Court decision that invalidated a portion of the additional tariffs imposed earlier in the administration. Most refunds were processed in May and June. The federal budget deficit reached $1.367 trillion in the first nine months of the fiscal year, an increase of 2 percent from the comparable period the previous year.

Hunter Biden Comments on Defamation Judgment

Hunter Biden stated on social media that he was “grateful that the rule of law prevailed” after a federal judge in California awarded him $1.7 million in punitive damages in a defamation case against former Overstock.com chief executive Patrick Byrne. U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson’s July 10 ruling found Byrne “is not credible, fabricates awesome and farfetched narratives to garner attention in the media, and fabricated the defamatory story at issue in this case to damage the plaintiff’s reputation.”

Biden filed the suit in 2023, alleging Byrne falsely claimed in an interview that Biden had solicited an $800 million bribe from Iran in 2021 in exchange for influencing U.S. policy. Byrne has been a public supporter of Donald Trump and contributed to efforts challenging the 2020 election results.

Former Officials React to Supreme Court Decision on Agency Leadership

Federal officials removed from positions at independent agencies following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. Slaughter have described the decision as removing statutory limits on presidential authority over those bodies. The March 2026 ruling addressed the termination of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter, who had been appointed by Trump in 2018.

Slaughter stated she received notice of her termination while assisting with preparations for her child’s school performance. She and fellow Democratic commissioner Alvaro Bedoya filed suit challenging the action. Bedoya later resigned from the commission. The decision overturned aspects of a 1935 precedent that had restricted presidential removal power over members of independent agencies. More than 50 officials have been dismissed from various agencies since January 2025.

Report Documents Injuries During Protests at Immigration Facilities

A report released this week by Physicians for Human Rights and the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley, recorded 412 verified incidents between June 2025 and May 2026 in which crowd-control devices including tear gas, rubber projectiles, and pepper spray were used during demonstrations at or near ICE facilities. The authors documented 203 injuries, among them cases of vision loss, traumatic brain injury, lacerations, fractures, and contusions.

Lead author Dr. Rohini Haar stated that limitations in visual assessment methods mean the actual number of injuries is likely higher. The report includes an interactive map of the incidents and characterizes many uses of the devices as inconsistent with manufacturer guidelines or departmental policies.

Additional Developments

Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was appointed to serve the remainder of her brother’s Senate term following his death. The appointment covers the final months of the current term.

The United States conducted a third consecutive night of strikes on Iranian targets after President Trump announced plans to reinstate a maritime blockade and impose fees for safe passage through certain waters.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the formation of a joint Pentagon-Justice Department task force to investigate and prosecute unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information to the press.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio initiated efforts to limit the operations of the International Criminal Court, citing concerns over potential interference with U.S. military and law-enforcement activities.

All sections above draw from official statements, court records, budget data, and reports issued by the named organizations. Investigations into the Maine and Texas shootings remain ongoing under FBI direction.