Illustration for: ICE Temporarily Suspends Most Vehicle Stops Following Two Fatal Shootings
AI-generated illustration. Visual interpretation does not represent real individuals or scenes.

ICE Temporarily Suspends Most Vehicle Stops Following Two Fatal Shootings

2026-07-14

The BareStory

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been ordered to temporarily halt most vehicle stops during nationwide enforcement operations, according to law enforcement sources. The directive applies specifically to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, the division responsible for civil immigration arrests and removals. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued the directive following discussions with Maine Senator Susan Collins, who urged him to halt all non-urgent vehicle stops.

The suspension was enacted to allow ICE officers to undergo additional training on vehicle-stop tactics. The pause follows two recent fatal shootings by ICE officers during vehicle stops in Maine and Texas. Under the temporary policy, ICE officers will still be permitted to conduct vehicle stops when targeting the most dangerous individuals or when working with partner law enforcement agencies on criminal suspects who are the subject of judicial warrants.

The first shooting occurred on July 13, 2026, in Biddeford, Maine, resulting in the death of Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian national. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Senator Angus King of Maine, Guerrero was not the intended target of the operation. ICE and the Maine Attorney General's Office stated that agents attempted to stop a vehicle after it left a targeted residence, and an officer fired when the vehicle attempted to flee. A witness, Daniel Boucher, reported hearing the victim state, "I tried to stop," after being pulled from the vehicle, while also overhearing an agent allege that the driver attempted to run him over.

The second incident occurred six days prior in Houston, Texas, where Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, was fatally shot by ICE officers. According to DHS, officers pulled over Salgado Araujo's vehicle while searching for a different individual, and he ignored verbal commands and attempted to ram an officer. Salgado Araujo's family stated that he had no criminal record and had lived in the U.S. for over 30 years. Following the deaths of several Mexican immigrants in custody or during pursuits by U.S. immigration forces, the Mexican president announced that Mexico will file criminal complaints in the United States.

Left Perspective

  • Protect Innocent Civilian Lives
  • Dismantle Aggressive Confrontation Tactics
  • Prevent Severe Diplomatic Damage

Right Perspective

  • Preserve Essential Operational Tools
  • Prioritize Officer Tactical Safety
  • Maintain Strict Social Order

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• You may experience a temporary reduction in roadside immigration enforcement operations in your local community, as ICE has suspended most non-urgent vehicle stops while officers undergo tactical retraining.

• You will still see ICE officers conducting vehicle stops if they are targeting highly dangerous individuals or executing judicial warrants alongside partner law enforcement agencies.

• If you are a bystander or motorist near future ICE vehicle stops, you may benefit from safer, more de-escalated officer interactions once agents complete mandatory training on vehicle-stop tactics.

• You may observe legal and diplomatic developments in domestic courts, as the Mexican government plans to file criminal complaints in the United States regarding the fatal shootings of foreign nationals.

Read the story at