Maine's two U.S. senators are pressing for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting of a Colombian man by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Biddeford, a case that has reignited scrutiny of the agency's use of deadly force. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) told the Associated Press that he spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who alleged the victim had "weaponized" his vehicle before being shot.
"He was in a vehicle — pulled out in the vehicle, and the term the secretary used was 'weaponized' the vehicle and was shot by an ICE agent," King said, adding that he has numerous unresolved questions. "The question is, what did he do with his vehicle? Were officers threatened? Were the threats rising to the level that justified deadly force?" King emphasized his commitment to ensuring the investigation is "as transparent and thorough as possible."
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) also underscored the need for an impartial review. "The shooting in Biddeford requires a full and impartial investigation of what happened. It is my understanding that the Biddeford police have secured the site and that the FBI is investigating," she wrote on X. The call for a federal probe comes as the second fatal ICE shooting in a week has drawn national attention.
The Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine identified the deceased as a 26-year-old Colombian citizen who they said was authorized to work in the U.S. and possessed a Social Security number. "A 26-year-old man came to Maine to live and work, and now his family is mourning his death following an incident involving ICE. This is devastating, enraging, and unacceptable. His loved ones deserve answers, and the public deserves a full and transparent account of what happened," the groups said in a joint statement.
Neither ICE nor Mullin's office responded to requests for comment. The Maine Attorney General's Office is conducting its own investigation, citing initial reports that the officer was conducting an enforcement operation related to a final removal order when the man attempted to flee in a vehicle toward the officer and was fatally shot. "The Attorney General's Office is actively investigating the incident and will remain on scene with various authorities to continue its investigation," the office stated.
Critics point to a troubling pattern: DHS has repeatedly accused those shot by ICE of aggressive behavior, only for video evidence to later contradict those accounts. In this case, the ICE officers were not wearing body cameras, and footage reviewed by The Hill did not capture the moments leading up to the shooting. One video shows officers pulling a man who appears deceased from a car, his body slumping onto the pavement as they struggle to handcuff him.
The incident follows the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas last week, where ICE similarly claimed he tried to weaponize his vehicle—a narrative disputed by other occupants of the car. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) wrote on X, "Less than a week since Lorenzo's murder, ICE fatally shot another man in Maine. The murders at the hands of ICE aren't one-offs, they're a pattern. DHS and ICE can't be reformed, they were built to violate our rights. We must abolish ICE and dismantle DHS."
The Maine ICE shooting has prompted Collins to demand a federal probe, while King continues to press for answers. The case adds to the broader political debate over immigration enforcement, with some lawmakers arguing that the agency's structure is fundamentally flawed. As the investigation unfolds, the families of the victims and advocacy groups are calling for accountability and transparency.
