The federal government is reviewing Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s employee-vetting procedures following the fatal July 13 shooting of a Colombian immigrant in Biddeford and subsequent reports concerning the ICE agent involved.
White House border czar Tom Homan announced the internal review after allegations surfaced that ICE agent David Brouillette had previously struggled with serious mental health issues and faced accusations of domestic violence.
Brouillette has been identified as the agent involved in the shooting death of 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero.
Speaking Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Homan said that, should the allegations concerning Brouillette’s past prove accurate, the agent should not have passed the agency’s screening process.
Homan said someone with such a history would ordinarily face an “almost impossible time” clearing standard background checks.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Internal Affairs section is now examining whether relevant information was unavailable to investigators, overlooked during the screening process or disregarded as ICE worked to rapidly expand its workforce.
Court documents and interviews involving Brouillette’s two former wives reportedly contain allegations of physical abuse, a threat involving a firearm and a previous court order requiring him to surrender his weapons.
The reports have intensified congressional and public scrutiny of ICE’s hiring practices, including questions about whether screening standards were weakened as the agency sought to meet the Trump administration’s expanded immigration-enforcement and hiring goals.
The review is not limited to Brouillette’s background.
Homan confirmed that ICE officials are also examining the agency’s field training and tactical procedures governing vehicle stops.
The July 13 shooting occurred as ICE agents attempted to execute an arrest warrant in Biddeford. Durán Guerrero was driving to work when he was shot and killed.
Federal officials later acknowledged that Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national who was authorized to work in the United States, was not the intended target of the operation.
The shooting also prompted immediate changes to ICE policy.
Acting ICE Director David Venturella issued a directive requiring that at least one body-worn camera be activated at the scene of every vehicle stop, an effort intended to ensure that future encounters are fully documented.
The administration also faced internal disagreement over whether vehicle stops should continue following the shooting.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin initially ordered a complete suspension of vehicle stops. President Donald Trump later reversed that decision and directed agents to resume the practice, which remains a central component of the administration’s immigration-enforcement operations.
The internal reviews will now focus on whether failures in employee screening, training or tactical decision-making contributed to the fatal encounter.
