Trump’s Border Czar Orders Review After ICE Shooting in Maine

Washington — When a New England shooting left a Colombian national dead, the story quickly turned from tragedy to political firestorm. The officer who fired the shots, Army veteran David Brouillette, is now at the center of an internal review ordered by the White House’s so‑called border czar.

Tom Homan, the senior adviser who oversees immigration enforcement, told CNN on Sunday that if the family’s allegations are accurate — that Brouillette struggled with serious mental‑health issues and a history of violent behavior — then “he shouldn’t have ever cleared vetting.” Homan added that the review isn’t limited to the officer’s background; the training program and the agency’s internal‑affairs procedures are also being re‑examined.

The incident has revived criticism of the Department of Homeland Security’s rapid hiring push, a hallmark of President Donald Trump’s latest immigration crackdown. In the weeks leading up to the Maine shooting, DHS poured thousands of new recruits into ICE, many of whom were thrust onto the streets with little time for comprehensive training.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin initially ordered a pause on vehicle stops after the shooting, hoping to give investigators breathing room. Trump, however, moved quickly to lift the pause, insisting that such stops are essential to the administration’s deportation push.

In response to the outcry, acting ICE director David Venturella issued a fresh directive: every vehicle stop must now have at least one body‑camera recording the entire encounter. “Right now, on all vehicle stops, there’s at least one body camera on site to record the entire event,” Homan said, noting that the move aims to create a clear video record and, hopefully, curb allegations of excessive force.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are watching closely. During a closed‑door briefing of the House Homeland Security Committee, Democrats pressed ICE officials for answers, citing 56 complaints of excessive force – 32 of which were cleared and one referred for discipline, with the rest still under investigation.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, has also weighed in, urging the expansion of body‑camera usage and securing funding for the technology. She called it “extremely unfortunate” that the officer involved in the Maine shooting was not wearing a camera at the time.

As the internal review unfolds, the broader question remains whether the new video requirements and heightened scrutiny will be enough to address congressional concerns about ICE’s training, tactics, and the sheer speed of its recent expansion.