DHS Statement on Fatal ICE Shooting in Maine Draws Criticism Over Use of Force

Federal authorities reported that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13, 2026, after the man’s vehicle attempted to leave the area during an enforcement operation. The Department of Homeland Security stated that the officer fired while the vehicle was departing, citing concerns for public safety.

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin informed him that officers were in Biddeford to serve an arrest warrant on a different individual. The man who was shot was not the target of that warrant. King initially described the incident as involving an attempt to use the vehicle as a weapon, but the department’s later statement did not include that description.

DHS posted on its official account that ICE personnel were conducting surveillance at the last known address of an individual subject to a final removal order. When the man drove away from the residence, officers attempted a vehicle stop. The department said the vehicle then tried to leave the scene, prompting the officer to discharge his weapon.

DHS and Department of Justice use-of-force policies state that officers may not fire solely to stop a moving vehicle or to prevent the escape of a fleeing suspect. The policies require an imminent threat of death or serious injury to justify deadly force. The department’s statement did not describe any specific threat to officers or bystanders beyond the general reference to public safety.

Two immigrant advocacy organizations, the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente!, told The Associated Press that the man held work authorization. A neighbor, Mary Hayes, told AP that the man lived in the area with his wife and daughter. Hayes described seeing the family at the scene after the shooting.

The incident marks at least the ninth fatal shooting involving federal immigration officers since the start of the current administration’s deportation operations. DHS has cited vehicle movement in several prior cases when explaining the use of force.

Social media users and elected officials questioned the justification provided in the department’s statement. Rep. Yassamin Ansari posted that the account showed no threat to officers. Podcaster Jon Favreau noted that the statement did not claim the driver attempted to strike agents. Commentator Brian Krassenstein wrote that the explanation amounted to an admission that force was used because the man tried to leave. Analyst David J. Bier observed that the department referred only to public safety rather than an immediate danger to personnel. Other users, including Adam Cochran and Olivia Julianna, raised similar points about the absence of a described threat to the officer.

DHS has not released additional details such as body-camera footage, the number of officers present, or the results of any internal review. The agency has previously stated that investigations into use-of-force incidents follow standard protocols involving both internal review and, when applicable, referral to the Department of Justice.

The man’s identity has not been released by authorities. Local police in Biddeford confirmed they responded to the scene but referred questions about the federal operation to ICE. No charges have been announced in connection with the incident.