Fatal Shooting of Colombian Man by Immigration Officer Sparks Protests and Investigation

BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) — A Colombian man was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer in Maine, representing the second instance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents resorting to deadly force within a week. The incident occurred in Biddeford, a coastal city in Maine. According to Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin informed him that the officer opened fire after the man attempted to use his vehicle as a weapon against officers pursuing his deportation. The agent who fired the shot has been placed on leave as part of the standard protocol in officer-related shootings.

The Maine attorney general’s office stated that preliminary reports suggest the motorist was trying to flee in the agent’s direction. The office confirmed that the enforcement operation was linked to a final order of removal. Advocacy groups identified the victim as a 26-year-old Colombian native authorized to work in the U.S. and possessing a Social Security number.

“I watched a wife fall to her knees looking at her husband’s dead body on the ground,” Mary Hayes, a nearby resident, recounted. “Her daughter, with a little pink backpack, cried because she won’t see her father again.”

Security cameras at a local laundromat showed the man’s car moving into an intersection after shots were fired, with bullet holes visible in its windshield. Sen. Angus King noted that the involved agents did not have body cameras, and emphasized the importance of the ongoing investigation being transparent and thorough.

Following the shooting, the man’s family reached out to advocacy groups, expressing grief and anger over his death. Mufalo Chitam of the Immigrants’ Rights Coalition stressed that the family is not ready to speak publicly and urged for accountability and recognition of the harm inflicted on communities.

The Colombian Embassy confirmed contact with U.S. authorities, seeking verification of the individual’s identity and nationality. Meanwhile, protesters gathered near the scene, with signs denouncing ICE’s actions and presence. Amy Goodman, a protester, expressed frustration over the increasing frequency of such incidents, and demonstrated with a sign demanding to end the violence.

The shooting in Maine adds to a growing number of fatalities during encounters with federal immigration officials since the Trump administration’s intensified immigration policies commenced. Recent figures reveal a surge in ICE arrests amid an aggressive deportation agenda, with detention of over 10,000 individuals within five days at the end of June.

ICE’s presence in Maine earlier this year triggered significant demonstrations, and the Department of Homeland Security’s “Catch of the Day” operation led to hundreds of arrests. While some arrested individuals had criminal backgrounds, others were detained with pending immigration proceedings or without conviction, according to court records.