Angus King Leads Senate Demand for ICE Reforms

Senator Angus King and 38 Democratic colleagues sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding systemic reforms for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The push for accountability follows the fatal shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on July 7 and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13. In both incidents, the victims were not intended targets of traffic stops and had no deportation orders.

The senators are calling for the mandatory use of body-worn cameras by the end of July, the end of roving patrols, and a requirement that personnel use ICE branding rather than generic police markings on uniforms. They are also seeking a comprehensive review of recruit vetting and enforcement protocols. The lawmakers criticized the agency for claiming self-defense before gathering evidence and for failing to provide body camera footage of the shootings.

King disputed DHS claims that a government shutdown delayed camera procurement, noting that the agency received nearly $40 billion in July 2025 through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. While Republican Senator Susan Collins called for a transparent investigation, she did not sign the letter. Acting ICE Director Alessandro Venturella previously promised Congress that all field agents would be equipped with cameras by the end of July.