José López Zamorano
La Red Hispana
The recent deaths during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations force us to ask a crucial question: what can be done to prevent immigration detentions from ending human life?
In less than a week, ICE agents fatally shot two drivers, a Mexican in Houston and a Colombian in Biddeford, Maine.
Federal authorities maintain that the vehicles or individuals posed a threat; witnesses have questioned these accounts.
In both cases, the agents were originally looking for other people. In Maine, they were not wearing body cameras, and in Houston, authorities have not released any recordings.
The investigations remain open, and it would be irresponsible to pass judgment before all the evidence is known. But that doesn’t preclude recognizing that something is wrong.
The primary responsibility lies with the authorities. Federal agents are armed professionals, trained and backed by the power of the state. It is up to them to reduce tension, clearly establish their authority, communicate understandable orders, and avoid tactics that might lead a person to believe they are being kidnapped or robbed.
Ideally, immigration operations should use, whenever circumstances permit, identifiable vehicles, lights, sirens, clearly marked vests, and warnings in English and Spanish.
ICE’s own policy states that force should only be used when there is no reasonably effective, safe, and viable alternative, and that only the level of force objectively reasonable under the circumstances may be used.
Street operations with activated body cameras should also become standard practice. ICE has had an updated policy on cameras since February 2025, and the agency has stated that its program is being implemented nationwide.
On the migrants’ side, knowing their rights can help reduce danger. When a person is stopped by agents, the wisest course of action is not to run or make sudden movements. If you are in a car, you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so, turn off the engine, keep your hands visible, and avoid reaching for documents without first asking.
A simple phrase can help: “I’m going to get my ID from my pocket” or “My documents are in the glove compartment.” You can also calmly and respectfully ask, “Am I under arrest?” and “Am I free to go?”
If the answer is that you are under arrest, you should not physically resist, even if you believe the arrest is unjust. The street is not the place to win a legal dispute; that battle should be fought later, before a lawyer and in a court of law. Every person, regardless of immigration status, has constitutional rights.
Finally, every death must be investigated, ideally independently, with prompt release of videos and communications.
The United States can enforce its immigration laws without turning its streets into scenes of fear and death. The safety of law enforcement officers matters. So do the lives of migrants.
A responsible policy must protect both, because a license plate does not eliminate the obligation to act prudently and the lack of immigration documents should not become a death sentence.
