The fatal shooting of a 25-year-old Colombian immigrant by a federal agent in Biddeford on July 13 has prompted Maine Gov. Janet Mills to demand reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and outline new state measures to protect immigrant residents.
Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was fatally shot during a traffic stop by an ICE agent. Following the shooting, Mills responded to a range of question from Amjambo Africa to discuss her administration’s response to the incident and the growing anxiety among the state’s immigrant communities.
“I recognize that this is a frightening time for members of Maine’s immigrant communities,” Mills said. “I share the heartbreak over the tragic death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero and am outraged about the callous and unregulated show of force by federal agents in Maine and across the country.”
The Biddeford shooting occurred in the wake of a heightened federal immigration crackdown, including an ICE surge in Maine in January. Mills said she has formally called on Maine’s congressional delegation to push for federal legislation to prohibit agents from wearing masks, mandate body cameras, enforce the use of valid court warrants and impose strict consequences for abuses of power.
” I will continue to stand up to the Trump Administration, as I have done in the past, to keep Maine a welcoming place for all who come here in peace and wish to make it their home… ICE needs to be fundamentally reformed, and if not, then abolish it,” Mills said.
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To provide immediate support on the ground, she said her administration is mobilizing state agencies to protect the rights of noncitizens. The Maine Office of New Americans has partnered with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) to secure philanthropic funds to expand legal representation for immigrants detained in Maine or transferred out of state.
The initiative includes funding for intake screenings, bond hearings, habeas petitions and placing qualifying cases with pro bono or low-bono attorneys.
With immigrant households bracing for expected reductions in federal social safety nets, Mills said the state is stepping in to prevent food insecurity. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services, he reiterated, is using state funds to provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for certain lawfully present immigrants who lose access to federal programs.
“My administration is collaborating with partners to keep eligible people enrolled in SNAP benefits and bridge gaps when benefits end,” Mills said.
She added that the state is supporting community outreach and culturally responsive food programs, including home meal deliveries for individuals who feel unsafe accessing traditional food pantries due to fears of federal enforcement.
Mills also emphasized the economic necessity of protecting Maine’s immigrant workforce. She noted that foreign-born workers currently make up 6% of Maine’s health care staff, 6% of the hospitality sector and 5% of the state’s education workforce.
“The changing federal landscape is detrimental to that workforce, to Maine’s employers and to our long-term economic stability,” Mills said, echoing concerns raised by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce earlier this year.
As the state navigates the fallout from the shooting, Mills promised that state-level coordination will challenge federal decisions that harm Maine’s communities. She urged residents to utilize the Office of New Americans, which is actively engaging with affected communities to expand access to legal services and strengthen English language acquisition.
When asked what message she wanted to send to immigrant residents experiencing fear and uncertainty, Mills was direct.
“My message is: You are not alone,” Mills said. “While no one can relieve the anxiety the community is feeling or promise that this federal government will rein in ICE, I want Maine’s immigrant communities to know that Maine stands with them. I will always fight to keep Maine a welcoming place for those who come here in peace and choose to work, live and make their home here.”
