Key facts
- Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national, was killed by an ICE agent in Maine on July 13.
- Rep. Chellie Pingree stated the ICE operation targeted Durán Guerrero's roommate, who was not subject to a final removal order.
- Durán Guerrero had a pending asylum case and a valid work permit, according to Rep. Pingree.
- The Department of Homeland Security stands by its prior assessment of the shooting.
- The shooting is being investigated by the Maine Attorney General's Office.
The individual targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in a fatal shooting in Maine last month was not subject to a final removal order, according to a Democratic congresswoman from the state. Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national, was shot and killed by an ICE agent near his Biddeford home on July 13.
Rep. Chellie Pingree stated during a hearing that the intended target of the ICE operation was Durán Guerrero's roommate, who owned the car Durán Guerrero was driving. Pingree described this as a "shocking revelation" contradicting previous statements from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. She added that Durán Guerrero was not the intended target and did not have a final removal order, but possessed a pending asylum case and a valid work permit.
The Department of Homeland Security, however, stated it stands by its prior assessment. A spokesperson said ICE was conducting surveillance on the address of an "illegal alien with a final order of removal" and declined to disclose law enforcement methods, noting they never identified Durán Guerrero or his roommate as the target.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Office of the Maine Attorney General. Pingree and other Democratic members of Congress have raised concerns about ICE's use of deadly force and agent training, citing the involved officer's history of violent behavior and mental health issues. President Donald Trump also reportedly opposed a subsequent policy change that would have suspended most ICE vehicle stops.