ICE shot and killed a motorist in Maine. Advocates say he's a 26-year-old from Colombia

BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) — A national migration serviceman fatally changeable a motorist successful Maine connected Monday, the 2nd clip successful a week that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents person utilized deadly unit and astatine slightest the ninth clip since President Donald Trump began his migration crackdown.

Immigrant rights groups identified the antheral who was killed arsenic a 26-year-old autochthonal of Colombia.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said successful a station connected the societal level X that ICE was surveilling an code for a idiosyncratic with a last bid of removal. When ICE tried to halt a conveyance driven by idiosyncratic coming from that address, “The conveyance attempted to fly the country and, fearing for nationalist safety, an serviceman discharged his weapon,” the section said.

U.S. Sen. Angus King antecedently said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him the serviceman opened occurrence aft the antheral tried to usage his conveyance arsenic a limb against ICE agents successful Biddeford, a coastal metropolis astir 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Portland.

“He was successful a conveyance — pulled retired successful the vehicle, and the word the caput utilized was ‘weaponized’ the conveyance and was changeable by an ICE agent,” King said.

King, a Maine independent, said Mullin besides told him the officers were successful Biddeford to service an apprehension warrant but that it was for not for the idiosyncratic who was shot.

King said Mullin told him that earlier accusation that the antheral was the people of an enforcement enactment was incorrect. He said Mullin “got caller information, and erstwhile helium got it helium called maine to archer me."

Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, said Mullin told her the Homeland Security Department’s Office of Inspector General is investigating successful practice with the FBI.

Messages seeking remark were near for the inspector general’s bureau and the Maine Department of Public Safety.

The Maine lawyer general’s office, which is besides investigating, said archetypal statements suggest the motorist was trying to fly successful the absorption of the agent. The bureau said the cause who killed him has been placed connected leave.

Witness says helium heard operator say, ‘I tried to stop’

Daniel Boucher said helium looked retired his third-floor model aft proceeding a “pop, pop, pop” dependable and saw a tiny car “turned 90 degrees to the curb” with an SUV down it. The operator was wounded and the car started moving down the thoroughfare until the SUV deed it again, Boucher said.

“His look was bloody. His caput was bloody,” Boucher said, getting choked up. “I intelligibly heard the unfortunate say, ‘I tried to stop’ — intelligibly heard him accidental that.”

Boucher said helium saw an ICE serviceman bring a aesculapian container to wherever the antheral was lying earlier an ambulance and occurrence motortruck arrived. At 1 point, Boucher said, the cause who changeable the antheral walked adjacent to him.

“I was affectional and I conscionable fto him person it, and helium looked astatine maine and said, ‘He tried to tally maine over,’ oregon thing to that effect," Boucher said. "I don’t retrieve his nonstop words.”

The agents progressive successful the shooting didn’t person body-worn cameras, King said.

“The question is: What did helium bash with his vehicle?” King said. “Were officers threatened? Were the threats rising to the level that justified deadly force?”

The antheral was authorized to enactment successful the US, advocates say

Two advocacy groups — the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! — said the antheral who was killed was authorized to enactment successful the U.S.

After the shooting, his household contacted the Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, but they aren't acceptable to talk publically astir the shooting, said the group's enforcement director, Mufalo Chitam.

Mary Hayes, who lives adjacent to wherever the shooting happened, said the antheral lived adjacent with his woman and daughter.

“I watched a woman autumn to her knees looking astatine her husband’s dormant assemblage connected the ground,” Hayes told the AP arsenic she held a portion of cardboard with “No ICE Stop ICE” written connected it. “I watched a small miss crying with a small pinkish backpack connected due to the fact that she’s ne'er going to spot her begetter again.”

The Colombian Embassy said it is successful interaction with U.S. authorities and “working to formally corroborate the individual’s individuality and nationality.”

Sadie Dilboy said the antheral killed successful the shooting regularly came to her laundromat and would bring his daughter, who he'd springiness quarters to bargain candy from the vending machine.

“He was specified a bully person,” she said. “He was ever cleaning up.”

Anti-ICE protesters stitchery adjacent the scene

Dozens of demonstrators captious of ICE and Trump’s ongoing migration crackdown gathered successful Biddeford wrong hours of the shooting.

Amy Goodman, who is from adjacent Wells, arrived with a motion that said “Stop Killing Us” and directed it toward constabulary moving astatine the scene.

“Sadly, it’s thing we’re seeing a full batch much often lately, and I’m huffy astir it,” said Goodman.

Police blocked entree to the shooting scene, which is successful a vicinity of mostly multifamily homes, churches and businesses. Several protesters stood nearby, immoderate holding signs condemning ICE's beingness successful the assemblage and state.

A caller uptick successful Trump's migration crackdown

On July 7, an ICE serviceman fatally changeable 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, of Houston, aft national agents driving unmarked vehicles pursued him portion helium was taking his operation unit to a occupation site.

The shootings travel amid a Trump medication propulsion to transportation retired its wide deportations agenda. During the five-day play astatine the extremity of June, ICE arrested much than 10,000 people.

The figures bespeak that portion the medication is nary longer cracking down connected idiosyncratic cities, the arrests are surging. The administration’s enforcement efforts were wide condemned past wintertime aft the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good successful Minnesota.

“More than thing else, I privation to know, ‘Why are you successful Maine?’" Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said successful a video connected societal media.

Hundreds of Maine ICE arrests since Trump’s return

ICE had a important beingness successful Maine earlier this year, which prompted respective protests. Immigration officials aboriginal said successful precocious January that they had ceased “enhanced operations” successful Maine aft hundreds of arrests.

A Homeland Security spokesperson said astatine the clip that immoderate Maine arrests were of radical “convicted of horrific crimes" including aggravated battle and endangering the payment of a child.”

Court records amusement that portion immoderate had felony convictions, others had unresolved migration proceedings oregon had been arrested but ne'er convicted of a crime.

ICE arrested 546 radical successful Maine betwixt the commencement of Trump’s 2nd word and March 11, 2026, the astir caller information available, according to ICE apprehension information provided to the University of California, Berkeley Deportation Data Project and analyzed by the AP.

About 45% of those arrested had transgression backgrounds. During the equivalent 416-day play earlier Trump took office, astir 69% of those arrested had transgression backgrounds, the information show.

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This communicative was updated to close the spelling of Cory Poulin’s archetypal name.

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Willingham reported from Boston and Brook reported from New Orleans. Associated Press reporters Michael R. Sisak successful New York, Aaron Kessler successful Washington and Kate Brumback successful Atlanta contributed to this report.

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