Biddeford City Council Calls for Justice After ICE Officer Kills Colombian Man

On a chilly Tuesday morning, the Biddeford City Council gathered in the municipal chambers – not to discuss budgets or road repairs, but to confront a tragedy that has shaken the community. The council, led by Mayor Liam LaFountain, voted unanimously to demand a thorough, independent investigation into the killing of 25‑year‑old Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero.

Durán Guerrero had just been taken into ICE custody for a pending deportation order when, at the Pool Street detention facility, an ICE agent fired a weapon that struck him. He died on the scene, leaving behind a grieving partner, Martha Karolina Rojas Alvarez, their three‑year‑old daughter, and a heart‑broken sister, Daniela Durán Guerrero.

“We cannot let this happen in silence,” LaFountain said, his voice cracking slightly. “The family deserves answers, and our community deserves to know what went wrong.” The council’s resolution calls for the Department of Homeland Security to release all body‑camera footage, for the local prosecutor’s office to assess any criminal liability, and for an external watchdog to oversee the inquiry.

Residents who gathered outside the City Hall held up signs that read “Justice for Johan” and “No Accountability, No Trust.” Some whispered that the incident underscores a broader pattern of alleged excessive force by immigration officials, a claim that ICE has repeatedly denied.

While ICE has not yet identified the agent involved, officials indicated that an internal review is already under way. The agency, however, stopped short of confirming whether the shooting was deemed justified under existing protocols.

Mayor LaFountain pledged to keep the council updated and urged state lawmakers to consider legislation that would increase civilian oversight of federal immigration enforcement. “We’re not asking for a rebellion,” he added, “just for transparency and for the dignity of every human being who steps onto our streets.”

The council’s demand joins a growing chorus of local governments across the country calling for stricter scrutiny of ICE actions. For Durán Guerrero’s family, the hope is simple: that the truth will finally surface and that no other family will have to endure the same pain.