Federal immigration enforcement operations across the United States are undergoing an immediate shift, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has directed agents to halt most vehicle stops while new training protocols are developed.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
According to multiple federal sources, ICE officers have been instructed to stop initiating most traffic stops during immigration enforcement activities. The directive comes in the wake of two recent fatal incidents involving ICE agents in Maine and Texas, both of which began as vehicle-related encounters.
Under the temporary policy, agents are largely prohibited from pulling over vehicles while tracking or pursuing immigration targets. Exceptions remain in place for cases involving individuals deemed to be among the most serious criminal offenders.
Sources within the Department of Homeland Security indicated that agents were told there would be “no more vehicle stops for now,” as reported by the Daily Wire.
The decision is expected to significantly alter how ICE conducts arrests, particularly in situations where individuals are encountered outside their homes. Vehicle stops have long been a common tactic used after agents identify and follow a target during surveillance operations.
One ICE source expressed frustration with the change, suggesting it would further limit enforcement outcomes.
“Numbers are going down, we can’t do sh*t,” the source said.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin also confirmed the directive, citing multiple federal sources in a post on X.
“BREAKING: Per multiple federal sources to @FoxNews, ICE has been instructed to immediately cease most vehicle stops during immigration enforcement operations nationwide, except for operations targeting the most egregious criminal aliens,” Melugin wrote in an X post.
He noted that the move follows two fatal shootings involving ICE agents within the past week, both tied to vehicle stops.
“This comes after two people were killed by ICE in shootings in TX and ME in the last week in incidents that began as vehicle stops,” Melugin added. “DHS alleges one of those incidents was a ramming attempt.”
Melugin further reported that the suspension is expected to be temporary while ICE personnel undergo updated training.
“I’m told this will be temporary until ICE officers receive new training on vehicle stops,” he wrote.
He also emphasized the operational impact of the change, noting that many ICE arrests originate from vehicle stops after agents locate and follow a target.
“The policy change will have significant impacts as many of ICE’s arrests begin as vehicle stops when they find and follow a target, as we’ve witnessed on multiple embeds,” Melugin said. “More to come as we get it.”
The policy shift follows two separate incidents in which individuals were fatally shot after allegedly using vehicles against federal agents.
In Maine, 26-year-old Colombian national Joan Sebastian Guerrero was killed during a targeted ICE operation on Monday morning. Authorities said Guerrero attempted to drive his vehicle into agents before they opened fire, according to a prior report on the incident.
A witness described the moment, stating that the vehicle had been placed into drive and was moving toward an officer.
The witness said the vehicle was “put into drive and was trying to hit the ICE officer” before shots were fired.
A similar confrontation occurred in Texas the week before, involving Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Officials said Araujo rammed an ICE vehicle, ignored commands, and attempted to run over an agent before being shot.
Both cases began as vehicle-based enforcement actions and escalated into deadly encounters, raising concerns about the risks associated with stopping suspects while they remain inside vehicles.
While the new directive restricts most traffic stops, it does not eliminate them entirely. Agents may still conduct such stops when pursuing individuals classified as particularly dangerous or serious criminal offenders, though officials have not clarified the criteria for that designation.
The broader effect of the policy is expected to reshape ICE operations in the short term. Vehicle stops have been a key method for making arrests in public spaces without entering private property, especially when agents lack judicial warrants to enter homes.
Without that option, officers may need to rely more heavily on arrests at residences or other fixed locations, or wait for alternative opportunities to detain individuals.
The change comes amid heightened attention following the recent shootings, though no formal statement has linked the decision directly to public or political pressure.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reportedly overseeing the implementation of the directive, but the department has not announced how long the suspension will last or when updated training will be completed.
Details about the content of the new training, including whether it will involve revised use-of-force guidelines, have not been disclosed.
For now, the order represents a significant operational adjustment for ICE agents nationwide, one that is likely to affect arrest numbers until vehicle stops are reinstated under new guidelines.
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