ICE shooting of Colombian immigrant in Maine triggers protests across US
On July 13 2026, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed 26‑year‑old Colombian national Joan Sebastian Guerrero (also reported as Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero) during a vehicle stop in Biddeford, Maine. Authorities said Guerrero was not the driver of a “weaponized” vehicle and was not the target of the operation; the officer was placed on leave and the incident is being investigated by the Maine Attorney General, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General. The shooting follows a fatal ICE encounter a week earlier in Houston, Texas, where Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed.
The deaths sparked a wave of demonstrations in Maine and beyond. Hundreds gathered in Biddeford’s Mechanics Park and Portland’s Monument Square, while larger rallies were held in New York’s Foley Square and Boston’s Copley Square. Protesters demanded accountability, the abolition or defunding of ICE, and a transparent investigation, displaying signs such as “Abolish ICE” and “Justice for Lorenzo and Joan.” State officials, including Maine Governor Janet Mills, Senators Angus King and Susan Collins, and local mayor Liam LaFountain, called for a thorough review and highlighted the lack of body‑camera footage. In response, ICE announced a suspension of most non‑urgent vehicle stops nationwide.