Former President Donald Trump publicly criticized the recent decision by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pause traffic stops after two individuals were killed during agency operations in one week. Following the deaths of a Colombian man in Maine and a Mexican man in Texas, the Department of Homeland Security had temporarily suspended the practice.
Using his Truth Social platform, Trump urged the agency not to abandon what he considers a vital tool for crime prevention. He argued that halting these stops benefits criminals and vowed to ensure the practice continues under his influence, while advising agents to perform their duties with greater care.
The policy pause was previously confirmed by Tom Homan, the administration’s border official, though he maintained that the technique remains necessary. ICE has faced ongoing criticism regarding its aggressive enforcement methods, particularly following fatal encounters involving US citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year. In Maine, rights groups identified the deceased as 26-year-old delivery driver Joan Sebastian Guerrero, an incident described by Colombian President Gustavo Petro as a killing carried out by the American government. Meanwhile, in the Texas case involving 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado, eyewitness reports have challenged the agency’s claim that the individual attempted to strike an officer with his vehicle.
