Congresswoman AOC Links ICE Funding Increase to Rise in Civilian Deaths
"I said this a couple of weeks ago that I would not be surprised if when ICE funding started up again, that we would start to see more civilian deaths at the hands of ICE. And that's exactly what has happened. When you open the trenches with all of this money that Republicans have now funneled to ICE without any oversight or anything, you're going to see abuses of power, and that's exactly what's happening."
About this episode
Midas Touch Network host reports on the fatal shooting of Juan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian man, by an ICE agent in Biddeford, Maine, an incident that has sparked major protests in the typically peaceful New England town. The Department of Homeland Security released an official statement confirming that an ICE officer discharged his weapon during an attempted vehicle stop on July 13, 2026, killing Guerrero in front of his 3-year-old daughter. According to the agency's account, agents were conducting surveillance on a different individual when Guerrero departed a residence in a vehicle and attempted to flee, prompting an officer to shoot citing concerns for public safety. The episode features extensive footage of protests outside Senator Susan Collins' office, Ring camera audio capturing the shooting, community reactions, and interviews with local residents demanding ICE be disbanded. The host criticizes ICE operations using inflammatory language and draws historical comparisons to authoritarian regimes. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez provides exclusive commentary to the network, stating she predicted increased civilian deaths when ICE funding was restored by Republicans without oversight, claiming such incidents were less frequent when funds were frozen. The episode also contrasts the public outrage with Fox News coverage that defended ICE agents and questioned why individuals would flee from law enforcement. Treasury Secretary Bessent's appearance discussing commemorative coins is briefly shown as counterpoint to the crisis.
Key takeaways
- Department of Homeland Security confirmed ICE agent shot and killed Juan Sebastian Guerrero during attempted traffic stop in Biddeford, Maine, in front of his young daughter
- Official DHS statement says agents were surveilling a different individual when Guerrero fled in vehicle, prompting officer to discharge weapon citing public safety concerns
- Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells Midas Touch Network she predicted rise in civilian deaths after Republicans restored ICE funding without oversight
- Large-scale protests erupted in Biddeford with demonstrators gathering outside Senator Susan Collins' office demanding ICE be disbanded from Maine communities
- Fox News coverage defended ICE agents and questioned why individuals would flee from law enforcement during immigration operations
- Ring camera footage and surveillance video captured audio of the shooting incident that killed the 26-year-old Colombian man
- Local Maine residents created makeshift memorial with flowers at shooting scene while community members called ICE agents untrained and unnecessary