President Donald Trump's former border czar stated Sunday that the vetting process for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer involved in a fatal shooting in Maine is currently under internal review. The review follows revelations from the victim's relatives to The Associated Press that the officer had a history of serious mental health issues and violent behavior.
Tom Homan, who served as Trump's border czar, told CNN that if the allegations against the officer, identified as Army veteran David Brouillette, are true, "I don't think he should ever have cleared vetting." Homan indicated that multiple aspects are being reviewed, including "the training" and "this specific case, as far as the vetting." The internal affairs section is handling the review of the vetting process.
Concerns regarding the Department of Homeland Security's hiring, training, and deployment of new ICE officers have intensified following two recent fatal shootings of immigrants in Maine and Houston. Following the Maine shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin ordered a temporary halt to vehicle stops. However, President Trump quickly reversed this decision, insisting that the stops are a necessary component of his administration's efforts to apprehend and deport undocumented immigrants.
In response to the incidents, acting ICE Director David Venturella has issued a new directive requiring the use of body-worn cameras during all vehicle stops. "Right now, on all vehicle stops, there’s at least one body camera on site to record the entire event," Homan said. Venturella "sent an instruction out that he wants at least one body camera on those vehicle stops, so we have everything on video."
It remains uncertain whether these measures will sufficiently address the concerns raised by some lawmakers about the Department of Homeland Security's training and tactics amid the administration's push for mass deportations. Democrats have pressed ICE officials for details during a closed-door briefing with the House Homeland Security Committee, reportedly leaving with unanswered questions. Lawmakers were informed during the briefing that 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers have been filed, with 32 cleared and one referred for disciplinary action. No disciplinary actions have been taken yet, and the remaining incidents are still under investigation.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, has advocated for and secured funding for body-worn cameras. She expressed regret that the officer involved in the Maine shooting was not using a camera.
The Trump administration has pursued an aggressive immigration enforcement strategy, though it has not met its goal of deporting one million people annually. Reports indicate that at least 10 individuals have died in encounters with immigration officers since the commencement of the administration's deportation campaign. While the administration maintains it targets individuals with criminal records, this has not always been the case, with some victims being U.S. citizens.
The officer in Maine shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national, who was killed in his vehicle near his home in Biddeford. In Houston, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot on July 7 when ICE officers pursued his work van and fired into the vehicle in front of his colleagues.
Earlier this year, two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, died during protests against ICE actions in Minneapolis, prompting national outcry.