Pingree Hears Emotional Testimony from Families, Representatives of Slain ICE Victims

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a bicameral public forum of fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shootings across the country. Members heard emotional testimony on the killings of Ruben Ray Martinez and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas, Renée Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine. Watch Pingree’s portion of questioning here ; the full hearing is available to watch here . Click here for photos from the hearing. “Listening to these families today was heartbreaking and infuriating,” said Pingree. “Ruben Ray Martinez was killed by an ICE agent, and DHS refused to even admit it happened for nearly a year, until a public records request forced the truth out. Alex Pretti was shot in the back, and it took a bystander's video to prove the government's own account of his death was a lie. Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero's family still has no confirmation that any federal agency is investigating his death, months later. How can the government take someone’s life and leave their family without a clear account of what happened or why? These families deserve answers. Congress has a duty to demand a full accounting and hold federal officials accountable for the abuses committed using taxpayer dollars. Republicans should be demanding those answers alongside us, but they have been derelict in their duties—refusing to hold hearings like this one. Democrats and I will keep fighting for the truth and for justice.” Other Members participating in the hearing included Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Reps. Emily Randall (D-Wash.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), and Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.). The following witnesses offered testimony about the fatal shootings of five people by federal immigration agents during the Trump Administration: Rachel Reyes: Rachel Reyes’ son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in March 2025 in South Padre Island, Texas. For nearly a year afterwards, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to publicly acknowledge its involvement in Mr. Martinez’s death, which only came to light through a public records request. Donna and Brent Ganger: Donna Ganger’s daughter and Brent Ganger’s sister, Renée Nicole Macklin Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stella Carlson: Stella Carlson recorded the killing of Alex Pretti in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ms. Carlson, known as the “woman in the pink coat,” was on her way to work when she witnessed and filmed an immigration agent shooting Mr. Pretti in the back. Her video confirmed that DHS’s account of the fatal shooting was false. Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado: Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado’s father, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas in July 2026. Mr. Araujo was driving to work when he was confronted by ICE agents who fired into the vehicle, killing him. Sean P. Murphy: Sean P. Murphy represents the family of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero who was shot and killed by an ICE agent shortly after leaving for work early in the morning hours of July 13, 2026. He was not the target of any ICE removal operation and had no criminal history. Johan Sebastián did have a social security number and valid work authorization issued by the current administration. To date, no federal agency has confirmed that they are investigating. "The loss of Johan Sebastián is a tragedy. In the past two months, Ben [Gideon] and I have been fighting for him. We will continue to fight for him. We will continue to fight for justice and accountability And while I desperately want to keep this focused on the tragedy of losing even one life to the world, I would be remiss if I did not address the political elephant in the room, that on the other side of Johan’s life lost is the nefarious decision by this administration to steal and take that life,” Murphy said in his testimony. “[…] The only justification given for Johan’s death was that it was in the interest of public safety. You know what actually keeps the public safe? Not shooting innocent and law-abiding fathers whose only dream is to build a better life for his family.” Watch Murphy’s full testimony here . In August, Pingree, Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, hosted a Democratic shadow hearing examining ICE’s use of force and abuse of power following the tragic killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford. ###