UNITED STATES PERSPECTIVE

The United States government has suspended most vehicle stops conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations following the deaths of two men in less than a week. The incidents occurred during vehicle checks in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas. In response to the public outcry, the Trump administration ordered the suspension, which does not affect the 287(g) program that delegates certain immigration authorities to local police.

The decision, made by Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and acting ICE Director David Venturella, was communicated via an internal email: "Effective immediately, vehicle stops are suspended until further notice," wrote official Liana Castano to her superiors, according to a copy obtained by The Atlantic. The pause is expected to last until September 9, to allow for additional agent training, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The victims were Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian man shot outside a home he was not targeting, and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican man killed while driving three colleagues to a job site. The Department of Homeland Security claims that both drivers attempted to strike the agents, but has not provided evidence. Maine Senator Angus King revealed that Mullin initially told him the Biddeford victim was the target of a warrant, before retracting the statement: "He had given me incorrect information," King reported, also noting that the agents were not wearing body cameras.

The shootings have sparked protests in Maine and Texas. An ICE spokesperson stated: "We are always evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and criminals off our streets."

Mexico has contacted the attorneys general of several states and the Department of Justice to request criminal investigations. Since the beginning of Trump's second term, 17 Mexican migrants have died during immigration operations, including 14 in detention. Letters have been sent to facilities like the Adelanto center in California, where four Mexicans died, hinting at potential civil lawsuits.

ICE arrests have risen to nearly 2,000 per day, almost double the number in the spring, under a lower profile since Kristi Noem was replaced by Mullin as head of Homeland Security.