A 26-year-old Colombian father was killed during an ICE operation in Maine, raising new questions about the use of force in immigration enforcement
Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was 26 years old. He was Colombian and lived in the United States with his partner and their three-year-old daughter. He worked as a cleaner and as a delivery driver, trying to build a future for his family.
On July 13, 2026, he was shot and killed by an agent of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an immigration enforcement operation in Biddeford, Maine. According to U.S. authorities, ICE officers were conducting surveillance related to another individual when they attempted to stop Durán Guerrero’s vehicle. Officials say he tried to drive away, prompting an agent to open fire.
His family, immigrant rights organizations, and witnesses have challenged the official account, raising questions about whether the use of lethal force was justified. Surveillance footage released after the shooting has intensified calls for an independent investigation.
Durán Guerrero’s death has become one of the most controversial incidents in the recent escalation of U.S. immigration enforcement. Civil rights groups argue that it reflects a growing pattern of aggressive tactics by federal immigration authorities and have demanded transparency, accountability, and the public release of all available evidence.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the shooting.
For Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero’s family, however, the investigations cannot erase the loss. A 26-year-old father who left Colombia in search of a better life is now remembered as another life cut short during an immigration operation.
