The White House confirmed through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will continue conducting vehicle stops. This declaration comes amid reports of a proposed halt to these operations after two immigrants died earlier this month, during encounters with agents.
Senator Angus King’s office had indicated to NPR that a shift in policy was in the works by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), yet President Trump emphasized on Truth Social that stopping these operations would compromise safety. Trump stated, “We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” He added that halting them would aid criminals.
During Thursday’s briefing, Leavitt stated, “Vehicle stops are continuing.” She noted that DHS had provided verbal instructions to field offices nationwide. She further clarified, “The president and the Secretary of Homeland Security are aligned in using vehicle stops as an essential tool for ICE to carry out its deportation efforts against severe criminal elements.” NPR could not get additional details from DHS, which referred to White House comments.
Recent incidents have fueled the controversy around these operations. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant, was shot by agents in Houston last week. DHS claims he used his van as a weapon, but van passengers have contested this version. In Maine, Joan Durán Guerrero, from Colombia, was fatally shot by an ICE agent. DHS stated that Guerrero’s vehicle tried to flee, prompting an agent’s response due to public safety concerns. However, DHS hasn’t released evidence supporting these claims.
Another incident involved the death of a man struck by a tractor-trailer while running from an ICE stop in St. Augustine, Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has not provided further details on this case.
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