Maine Governor Calls for ICE Reform After Fatal Shooting

An agent from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on July 14, 2026. The shooting occurred in front of Guerrero's wife and daughter and marked the second such killing in the United States within two weeks.

Janet Mills, the Governor of Maine, responded by calling for the fundamental reform or abolition of ICE, describing the agency's actions as a callous and unregulated show of force. During a memorial for Guerrero in Biddeford, protesters heckled Mills, questioning her decision in December 2025 to allow a bill limiting local law enforcement cooperation with ICE to pass without her signature.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins defended the agency's broader mission, stating that while ICE needs to improve its performance, its work extends beyond immigration enforcement. Collins has faced criticism for supporting a $70 billion funding package for ICE and Customs and Border Protection in April 2026.

In the wake of the incident and related protests in Portland, a new state law will take effect on July 29. This law defines the parameters for cooperation between state and local police and federal immigration agencies, though local police retain the authority to collaborate on criminal investigations focused on immigration enforcement.