The tragic shooting of a man by federal immigration officers in Biddeford, Maine has reignited calls to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency among Democratic Senate candidates vying for the nomination in the state.
The fatal shooting occurred on Monday, with four of the leading contenders – Nirav Shah, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, and Paige Loud – joining hundreds of protesters in marching by the shooting site, just 15 miles south-west of Portland.
The shooting is likely to boost immigration as a key issue in the crucial Senate race, which may determine the Senate majority. Shah stated that "ICE in its current form has shown itself incapable of doing its job," and called for its abolition.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows echoed Shah's sentiments, saying, "This is not acceptable in America. A young man, a dad, has been killed by ICE...This must stop. We need to get ICE out of the streets."
Troy Jackson, a former state Senate president, also called for the abolition of ICE, stating that "Abolish ICE" on social media and holding a sign at the protest that called for the same.
The incident in Maine is the second in a week where ICE agents have used deadly force, following the fatal shooting during a traffic stop in Houston, Texas. The latest incidents are reigniting protests and scrutiny of federal agents months after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Maine attorney general's office, which is investigating Monday's shooting along with the FBI, stated that initial statements suggest the motorist who was the target of the enforcement operation was attempting to flee in the direction of an ICE agent.
The shooting comes as the battle to replace former candidate Graham Platner is heating up, and will likely impact the Senate majority in the November midterm elections. A full and impartial investigation of the incident has been called for by several parties, including Senator Susan Collins.
Collins' statement follows the announcement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General has taken over the investigation of the Biddeford shooting in cooperation with the FBI. The shooting has also sparked protests, with chants of "Vote her out" directed at Collins' Senate office in Biddeford.
