President Donald Trump has overturned the temporary pause on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement traffic stops, allowing the agency to resume the practice, ABC News reported. This move reverses a directive that had been put in place following recent shootings in Maine and Texas.
Trump wrote on a Truth Social post: “The men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done.” He cited traffic stops as one of the agency’s “most important and effective” enforcement tools, commending the agency’s efforts in carrying out his deportation agenda and border policies.
The initial halt had been ordered by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, according to a law enforcement source. An internal email sent to ICE deportation officers confirmed that the vehicle stops were paused immediately. In that message, a senior ICE official told staff that all personnel were instructed to prioritize other existing operational methods, outside of vehicle stops, to conduct immigration enforcement activities.
The initial halt came after fatal shootings in Maine and Texas
Border czar Tom Homan confirmed the existence of the temporary pause during an interview on Fox News, noting that the Department of Homeland Security intended to review recent incidents. Homan said, “It is not a policy change, it is a temporary pause.”
He added, “Look – last couple of shootings, ICE leadership along with DHS wants to look at these last couple incidents and look, is there something that could have been done better? Is there any training that could be improved? Or simply is ICE doing their job and bad things happen when people don’t comply with law enforcement officers? I think it going to be a short pause and I am confident that ICE is well trained in vehicle stops and you’re going to see us keep moving forward.”
The scrutiny surrounding these tactics intensified after a fatal encounter on Monday, September 23, in Biddeford, Maine. A 25-year-old Colombian national, Johan Sebastián Guerrero, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an attempted traffic stop. According to Senator Angus King, Guerrero was not the target of the operation. ICE agents were actually seeking another man who had a final order of removal from the United States.
An ICE spokesperson provided details on the event, stating that the agency was conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal. When an illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle, ICE agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The agency stated that the vehicle attempted to flee the scene, and fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon. The Maine Attorney General’s Office provided a similar account, reporting that the suspect attempted to flee in the vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot.
Witness Daniel Boucher shared his perspective on the scene, noting that he watched agents pull the shooting victim from his car and place him on the ground. Boucher claimed he heard the young man say, “I tried to stop.” He also reported overhearing an ICE agent allege that the driver had attempted to run him over.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that the agency won’t disclose or discuss law enforcement tactics. However, the spokesperson added that the department is always evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and criminals off our streets.
Published: Jul 15, 2026 06:00 pm