White House says ICE traffic stops will continue after deadly shootings
The White House has confirmed that ICE vehicle stops will continue despite recent fatal shootings involving agents. President Trump emphasized the necessity of these stops as a crime-fighting tool, overriding reports of a potential policy pause.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant policy stance on immigration enforcement and public safety, sparking debate over the use of force and operational procedures within federal agencies.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are continuing to conduct vehicle stops.
The comment came following widespread reports earlier in the week that those stops would be paused after two immigrants were fatally shot by ICE agents in early July. The office of Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, had confirmed to NPR on Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security had planned to make the policy shift.
But within hours of those reports, President Trump posted on Truth Social that they must continue.
"We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!" he wrote. "Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal's hands."
Leavitt followed up on those comments at a press briefing Thursday.
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