President Donald Trump has reversed a temporary suspension of ICE traffic stops, according to reports citing a White House official. The move came one day after immigration officials paused most vehicle stops following two fatal shootings involving federal agents.
The reversal surprised some ICE leadership, according to The Wall Street Journal, after the agency had moved to limit vehicle stops while reviewing safety concerns. Trump said Wednesday that ICE should continue using traffic stops as an immigration enforcement tool.
Trump Defends ICE Traffic Stops
Trump posted on Truth Social that the agency could not give up what he called one of ICE’s most important crime-fighting tools. He also urged officers to be “judicious, fair and smart” while continuing their work.
The statement appeared to counter guidance issued a day earlier. That guidance told ICE officers to suspend most vehicle stops after deadly encounters in Texas and Maine.
The Associated Press reported that it was not immediately clear whether ICE would quickly resume most stops. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin later said people in the country illegally would be “arrested and deported wherever they are.” However, he did not directly say whether the pause had ended.
Fatal Shootings Prompted the Pause
The temporary suspension followed two fatal shootings involving ICE officers within one week.
In Houston, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, was shot and killed on July 7 during an immigration enforcement operation. Houston Mayor John Whitmire has asked the Texas Rangers to investigate the shooting, according to the Houston Chronicle.
In Biddeford, Maine, ICE agents fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national, on July 13. Sen. Angus King said the Homeland Security secretary told him that Durán Guerrero was not the target of the operation.
DHS said agents were watching an address linked to someone with a final order of removal. The department said an officer fired after a vehicle attempted to flee and agents feared for public safety.
Advocates and relatives have questioned the official accounts. The Associated Press reported that officers involved in the Maine shooting did not have body cameras, leaving major questions unanswered.
ICE Leadership Faces New Scrutiny
The quick reversal added to confusion inside the federal immigration agency. The Wall Street Journal reported that the earlier pause had alarmed some Trump allies and came as ICE faced pressure to increase arrests.
The agency has leaned on vehicle stops as part of the administration’s broader deportation campaign. ICE officials have said arrests at homes can be difficult when people do not open doors without a judicial warrant.
Still, policing experts have long warned against shooting into moving vehicles. They say the practice can create added danger for officers, passengers and bystanders.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she urged DHS leaders to end non-urgent vehicle stops after the Maine shooting. Immigrant rights groups have also called for greater oversight, body cameras and clearer rules for federal agents.
Community Concerns Continue
The controversy has renewed concern in immigrant communities across Texas and the nation. Vehicle stops can affect workers, families and mixed-status households, especially when enforcement takes place near homes, job sites or public roads.
For Latino communities, the issue also raises questions about safety, accountability and transparency. Federal officials say immigration enforcement will continue. Advocates say investigations must explain what happened before public trust can be restored.