In the aftermath of deadly shootings, ICE pauses most traffic stops
ICE has suspended most non-urgent traffic stops following two fatal shootings involving agents in Maine and Texas. The policy change comes amid intense pressure from lawmakers and public scrutiny regarding the use of force during vehicle stops.
Why it matters
The incident raises significant questions about federal law enforcement tactics, transparency, and the balance between public safety and civil rights.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will pause non-urgent vehicle stops after two deadly shootings in less than a week, Maine Sen. Angus King's office tells NPR.
King's spokesman Matthew Felling says the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the policy shift. Maine Sen. Susan Collins also posted on X Tuesday that she had called for change.
"I spoke with DHS Secretary Mullin last night and urged him to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops," she wrote.
DHS told NPR in a statement that it will not "disclose or discuss law enforcement tactics," and it's unclear what this change will look like in practice.
The most recent death happened Monday in Biddeford, Maine, where ICE agents tried to pull over the car of 26-year-old Joan Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national.
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