SCARBOURGH, Maine -U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) made an unannounced oversight inspection of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Scarborough on Friday, following the fatal ICE-involved shooting of a motorist in Biddeford that has sparked statewide protests and demands for greater transparency.
The visit came just days after the death of 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national who was shot by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in Biddeford. Federal officials have acknowledged Durán Guerrero was not the intended target of the investigation, and multiple state and federal investigations into the shooting remain ongoing.
Arriving at the ICE facility in Scarborough, Markey recorded himself attempting to enter the building, citing federal law that grants members of Congress the authority to conduct unannounced oversight inspections of ICE detention facilities and field offices.
https://x.com/SenMarkey/status/2078296024108392722/video/1?s=46
Following the inspection, Markey released a video summarizing what he said he learned during the visit.
According to the senator, ICE officials confirmed that the agent involved in the fatal shooting, identified as David Brouillette, is assigned to the Scarborough field office.
Markey also said officials confirmed that ICE agents assigned to the Maine office do not wear or use body cameras. He criticized the policy, arguing that despite Congress appropriating billions of dollars to the Department of Homeland Security, the agency has failed to equip agents with technology that could provide greater accountability during enforcement operations.
The Massachusetts senator further stated that officials told him the Scarborough office does not conduct local training operations for its agents, another point he said raised concerns about oversight and preparedness.
Following the visit, Markey sharply criticized ICE’s handling of the Biddeford shooting, accusing the agency of failing to provide sufficient transparency to the public and Durán Guerrero’s family.
Markey also reiterated his longstanding support for abolishing ICE and called for an end to qualified immunity protections for federal law enforcement officers, arguing the policies are necessary to increase accountability.
The inspection is part of a broader congressional inquiry into the shooting. Markey and fellow Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren have formally requested documents and information from the ICE Boston Field Office, setting a July 30 deadline for the agency to respond.
Later Friday evening, Markey traveled to Biddeford, where he joined a public vigil and protest at Mechanics Park. The event drew community members, immigrant advocates, and elected officials, including U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree, who gathered to honor Durán Guerrero and call for additional answers surrounding the fatal encounter.
The Biddeford shooting has become the focus of multiple investigations, including reviews by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and other federal authorities, while state leaders from both parties have continued to call for a full accounting of the circumstances that led to the fatal use of force.
