President Donald Trump on Wednesday forcefully defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement's use of traffic stops, describing the practice as one of the agency's most critical tools in its crime-fighting arsenal. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that ICE personnel are doing a "GREAT job" and insisted the tactic must remain in place to support his aggressive deportation agenda.
"CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven't been seen in decades," Trump said, adding that abandoning traffic stops would "play right into the criminal's hands." He accused the "Radical Left Dumocrats" of pushing for an end to the practice, but vowed it "won't happen on my watch."
The president's remarks come after ICE privately ordered its officers to temporarily halt traffic stops following two deadly shootings by federal agents. On Monday, officers fatally shot Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine. Days earlier, Mexican national Lorenzo Sagrado Araujo was killed during an encounter in Houston. The agency did not publicly confirm the pause, but sources familiar with the directive confirmed it to NewsNation.
ICE officials declined to discuss the internal guidance, saying in a statement, "We are always evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and criminals off our streets. We will not disclose or discuss law enforcement tactics."
The incidents have reignited a political battle that flared earlier this year after federal officers shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Democrats have since pushed for reforms at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, including tighter limits on traffic stops and reduced use of force. The standoff contributed to a record-long partial shutdown of DHS and intense scrutiny of then-Secretary Kristi Noem, who was later removed from her post.
Some current and former immigration officials have also questioned whether ICE should reconsider its reliance on traffic stops. John Sandweg, who served as acting ICE director under President Barack Obama, told CNN it is "absolutely time that we take a hard look, if not a moratorium on vehicular stops, until such time as we can decide what do we need to do to prevent this from recurring." Sandweg noted that ICE's enforcement and removal operations officers lack the widespread experience in vehicular stops that local and state law enforcement possess.
Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, added her voice to the calls for change following Guerrero's death. "While the investigation of the Biddeford shooting is not yet complete, it raises sufficient critical questions that I spoke with DHS Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin last night and urged him to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops," she wrote online.
Trump's staunch defense of the tactic underscores the central role immigration enforcement plays in his political strategy, even as the debate over police tactics and accountability continues to divide Washington. The president's message on Truth Social made clear he sees no room for compromise on the issue, framing any limitation on ICE's authority as a concession to criminals.
The controversy over ICE traffic stops also echoes broader tensions over the administration's approach to law enforcement and civil liberties. Critics argue that the agency's expanded powers, including the use of traffic stops, have led to unnecessary violence and eroded public trust. Supporters counter that such measures are essential for dismantling criminal networks and ensuring public safety.
As the Biden administration previously faced similar scrutiny over its border policies, Trump's unyielding stance signals that immigration enforcement will remain a flashpoint in the coming months. The recent shootings and the internal pause on traffic stops have only intensified the debate, with both sides digging in for a protracted political fight.
