FBI declines civil-rights probe of Maine ICE shooting, DHS IG leads inquiry

On July 13, an ICE officer shot and killed Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during a pursuit in Biddeford, Maine. The FBI responded initially as a possible assault on a federal officer but later clarified it would not lead a civil-rights inquiry, deferring to the DHS Office of the Inspector General and the Maine attorney general's office. DHS officials claim the agent fired because he feared for public safety as Guerrero attempted to flee.

Surveillance footage captured the incident, and ICE later required body-camera use for future operations. Lawmakers, including Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, had expected an FBI investigation, while civil-rights experts say the bureau typically handles such high-profile cases. The shift in investigative responsibility has drawn criticism that the review may lack the independence traditionally provided by the FBI.