ICE Killings in Texas and Maine Revive 61%-36% Backlash Against Agency
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 14
ICE Killings in Texas and Maine Revive 61%-36% Backlash Against Agency
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 14
Summary
Two fatal ICE shootings this month—one in Texas last week and one in Maine on Monday—have thrust Trump’s deportation crackdown back into a political danger zone after months of relative quiet.
DHS is again facing credibility questions, especially in Maine, where it said an officer shot a fleeing man out of concern for public safety rather than claiming officers’ lives were under threat.
No body-camera footage exists from either shooting, despite a post-Minneapolis push to equip agents; that absence is likely to intensify scrutiny because video in January undercut the administration’s initial account.
Polling already showed the issue was hurting Trump: Reuters-Ipsos last month found him 55%-37% underwater on immigration, while a May Marquette poll put ICE’s favorability at 36% against 61% unfavorable.
Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King are pressing DHS to halt non-urgent vehicle stops, require body cameras and avoid self-investigation, underscoring how the latest deaths could widen doubts about deportation tactics.