A counterprotester wearing a MAGA hat speaks through a megaphone infront of people protesting against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Mechanics Park, after a shooting involving ICE, in Biddeford, Maine, U.S., July 13, 2026. REUTERS/CJ Gunther
Political critics were outraged on Monday after the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security agency released a statement attempting to justify its latest killing.
ICE agents shot and killed a 26-year-old motorist who is reportedly from Colombia while he was driving in Biddeford, Maine. The agency said in a later statement that the individual was not the person they were targeting for a warrant, which led to protests outside of Sen. Susan Collins's (R-ME) office.
The Maine killing was the second in a string of high-profile killings by ICE in recent weeks. ICE agents also shot and killed a 52-year-old immigrant outside of Houston while conducting a traffic stop.
DHS attempted to set the record straight in a post on X.
"On July 13, 2026, at approximately 7:00 AM ET, ICE was conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal," the statement reads in part. "An illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle. ICE law enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon. The driver of the vehicle was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted. He passed away from his injuries."
"They just described murder," the MeidasTouch Network posted to their more than 1.3 million followers on X.
"Wow. Even DHS doesn't say the driver tried to hit their agents. They shot and killed a father in front of his wife and child simply because he drove away," Jon Favreau, co-host of "Pod Save America" and a former Obama administration staffer, posted on X.
"It appears that Trump‘s Department of Homeland Security just admitted to homicide in Maine. They literally just said that they shot the guy for fleeing the scene with a three-year-old. Did they actually think this makes things better?" Brian Krassenstein, a political commentator, posted to his nearly 1 million X followers.
"WHOA DHS does not say that the agent feared for his life… just the vague concern for “public safety.” So he killed him just because he did not want him in America, not because of any specific threat to agents?" David J. Bier, director of the Cato Institute's immigration center, posted on X.