BS BREIF:
- Former Vice President Kamala Harris called for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Colombian national Joan Sebastian Guerrero during an ICE operation in Maine.
- The Department of Homeland Security says Guerrero attempted to flee in a vehicle and posed a threat to officers and public safety before an agent opened fire.
- The incident has intensified political debate over immigration enforcement, with critics of Harris pointing to her role in the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is facing both praise and criticism after speaking out about the fatal shooting of a Colombian national during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Maine.
The incident occurred Monday morning in Biddeford, where federal agents were conducting surveillance connected to an individual with a deportation order, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Harris reacted Tuesday on social media, writing that “Joan Sebastian Guerrero should still be alive” and calling for an “immediate, independent, and transparent investigation” into the shooting.
“This cannot be acceptable in America,” Harris wrote, arguing that the case raises questions about the use of force during immigration enforcement operations.
The Department of Homeland Security has provided a different account of the encounter.
Joan Sebastian Guerrero should still be alive.
This is the second time in a week that ICE agents have killed someone who — by their own admission — was not the subject of their operation.
Now Sebastian is dead, his killing witnessed by his three-year-old daughter wearing her…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 14, 2026
According to DHS, agents were conducting an operation when Guerrero allegedly attempted to leave the scene in a vehicle. The department said officers attempted to stop him and that an agent discharged a weapon after determining public safety was at risk.
“The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” DHS said in a statement. The department added that emergency medical assistance was requested immediately after the shooting.
Witness accounts have become a central part of the controversy.
Lucas Scott, an 18-year-old witness interviewed by local media, said agents had surrounded the vehicle before the confrontation escalated. Scott told the Portland Press Herald that the driver appeared to move toward officers and that an agent fired several rounds.
Federal authorities have not publicly released body-camera footage or additional evidence related to the encounter.
Guerrero, a Colombian national living in Maine, reportedly possessed authorization to work in the United States and had been issued a Social Security number, according to immigrant advocacy organizations familiar with his case. The shooting has triggered demonstrations in Maine, where activists and community organizations have demanded additional transparency from federal authorities. DHS has confirmed that the agency’s Office of Inspector General will review the incident.
Just last week, Harris criticized ICE following another fatal encounter involving agents in Texas. In that case, federal authorities similarly maintained that officers acted after a vehicle allegedly threatened law enforcement personnel. As details continue to emerge, investigators are expected to examine witness testimony, officer statements, forensic evidence, and any available video recordings to determine whether the use of force complied with federal policy.
Here are just a few responses to Harris’ post:
