The death of Colombian citizen Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during an operation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) in Maine has generated a growing wave of questions about the use of force by immigration authorities. Human rights organizations, Democratic legislators and the Government of Colombia have requested independent investigations to clarify what happened, while the case joins other recent incidents that keep ICE's actions under scrutiny.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called this Tuesday for a “timely, transparent and exhaustive” investigation into the death of the 26-year-old, who was shot by federal agents during an operation carried out in the community of Biddeford, in southern Maine.

According to the organization, Durán Guerrero was traveling accompanied by his partner and his three-year-old daughter when the events occurred. ICE later confirmed that the Colombian was not the main target of the operation, which sought to locate another person with a pending deportation order.

However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on which ICE depends, maintained that the agents opened fire for reasons of public safety, considering that the Colombian's vehicle represented a threat during the intervention.

Conflicting versions keep the case open

The official explanation has been questioned by civil organizations and by witnesses who assure that the sequence of events does not coincide with the version presented by the federal authorities. LatinoJustice called the case an “atrocity against human rights” and demanded an independent and transparent investigation.

Its legal advisor for immigration matters, Rex Chen, stated that the incident reflects a pattern of actions that, according to the organization, disproportionately affect immigrant and Latino communities.

The case also provoked an immediate reaction from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who described the death as a “murder” and asked the United States Government to clarify the facts. The president also requested rapid action by the Colombian foreign service to accompany the family and seek legal responsibilities.

The Colombian Embassy in Washington reported that it provides consular assistance to family members and that it formally requested information from the Department of Homeland Security about the circumstances of the operation.

Meanwhile, the Maine Police, the state Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) keep the investigations open.

Calls grow to review ICE operations

Durán Guerrero's death occurred just a week after the death of Mexican migrant Lorenzo Salgado during another ICE operation in Houston, Texas, a case that has also raised strong questions about the use of force by immigration agents.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced that it will send a delegation to Houston to meet with witnesses in the Salgado case and review the available evidence, while Democratic congressmen insist on the need for independent investigations.

The leader of the caucus, Adriano Espaillat, assured that they will seek answers about both incidents and reiterated his criticism of ICE's behavior during immigration operations. In parallel, Johan Sebastián Durán's family began a fundraising campaign to cover funeral and legal expenses and the repatriation of his remains to Colombia.

In less than 24 hours, the initiative exceeded $100,000 in donations, reflecting the broad mobilization of the community in support of their families.

The two cases have revived the national debate about the action protocols of immigration agents and the use of lethal force during immigration enforcement operations, in a context of toughening immigration policy promoted by the administration of President Donald Trump.