President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to continue using vehicle stops, pushing back against a temporary pause announced by officials following two fatal shootings involving immigration agents.
Trump said traffic stops remain an important part of immigration enforcement and urged agents to continue their work while using appropriate judgment.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump argued that ending vehicle stops would weaken ICE operations and said the agency should continue using the tactic while being “judicious, fair and smart.”
He praised ICE agents for their enforcement efforts and said the agency should not abandon what he described as one of its most effective tools.
The president’s comments came one day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, directed officers to temporarily reduce most vehicle stops nationwide.
The pause followed two deadly incidents involving ICE agents during vehicle encounters — one in Houston, Texas, on July 7, and another in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday.
The shootings prompted renewed questions from lawmakers and officials about agency procedures, officer training, and the use of body cameras, according to Politico.
Officials have emphasized that the change is intended as a short-term assessment of procedures rather than a permanent shift in enforcement strategy.
Border czar Tom Homan said the review was intended to ensure agents were properly trained and able to conduct stops safely.
Homan said ICE would continue making arrests through other methods during the review and maintained that the officers involved in the incidents were experienced personnel rather than newly hired agents.
The Houston shooting involved 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who was fatally shot during a traffic stop, while the Maine incident involved Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian national who was killed during an ICE encounter in Biddeford.
According to Just the News, federal officials have said the individuals involved in both incidents created safety concerns during the encounters, though authorities have not released all details surrounding the circumstances of the shootings.
The incidents have drawn attention from both supporters and critics of the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.
Some lawmakers have called for additional reviews of ICE procedures, including increased use of body cameras and investigations into the shootings.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) said she contacted DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin following the Biddeford shooting and urged a pause on non-urgent vehicle stops while the matter was reviewed.
The dispute comes as the administration continues expanding immigration enforcement operations, with officials emphasizing the need to maintain arrest and removal efforts while reviewing officer safety procedures.
ICE has expanded its workforce in recent months using funds included in Republican-backed legislation, giving the agency additional resources for enforcement activities.
Administration officials have said the agency remains focused on carrying out deportation operations while addressing safety concerns.
The temporary pause also sparked disagreement among immigration enforcement supporters who argue that limiting traffic stops could interfere with efforts to identify and arrest individuals targeted for removal.
Trump’s comments reflected concerns among some administration allies that restricting vehicle stops could hinder ICE’s ability to carry out its enforcement mission.
The agency has not announced a permanent change to its vehicle stop procedures.
Officials have said ICE continues to evaluate its operations while balancing officer safety, enforcement priorities, and public concerns following the recent shootings.
