Bennet, King, Colleagues Renew Demands to DHS for Civilian Protections, Greater Transparency

About About Michael Legislation News Press Releases Social Media Newsletter Archive Services Priorities Top Issues Child Tax Credit Investing in Colorado Contact Map Español Acerca de Michael Escribe a Michael Prioridades Servicios Visitando D.C. Bennet, King, Colleagues Renew Demands to DHS for Civilian Protections, Greater Transparency Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and 37 of their Senate colleagues in calling for stronger accountability measures for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Senators urge DHS to fulfill its previous commitments to […] Jul 24, 2026 | Press Releases Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and 37 of their Senate colleagues in calling for stronger accountability measures for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Senators urge DHS to fulfill its previous commitments to deploy and expand the use of body-worn cameras, strengthen officer identification requirements, and review enforcement protocols. The measures requested by the senators are intended to prevent future deadly encounters involving ICE officers and come after two fatal shootings during immigration enforcement operations in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas. “The recent fatal shootings involving U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers, specifically within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas, coupled with similar incidents elsewhere in the country, are completely unacceptable,” wrote the senators. “Rather than making our communities safer, these actions endanger our citizens and seriously undermine confidence in law enforcement generally.” “The tragic deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Durán Guerrero occurred less than a week apart and carry startling similarities. In both incidents, the individuals were killed in enforcement actions in which they were not the intended targets. Furthermore, both individuals were shot by DHS officials while inside a vehicle. The unnecessary loss of life in these incidents demands immediate, thorough, independent, and transparent investigations (including the full involvement of local and state law enforcement personnel) along with a comprehensive examination of enforcement protocols, training, and operational approaches necessary to prevent such tragedies. These recent events have further compromised the credibility of DHS and fractured public trust within communities across our country. In each case, DHS quickly issued statements asserting that officers were acting in self-defense, even before evidence of the facts surrounding the incidents had been gathered. Compounding this failure, no DHS officials involved in these fatal shootings wore body-worn cameras that could be reviewed by investigators or members of the public,” continued the senators. “We remain supportive of removing dangerous convicted criminals from our communities, but this goal can and must be achieved without endangering these very communities in the process. By no stretch could either of the victims in Texas and Maine be characterized as “the worst of the worst,” making these tragic deaths even more egregious. The American people deserve clarity and accountability. We urge you to honor your Department’s earlier commitments and take immediate action to implement these necessary reforms. We also stand ready to work with you to codify reforms into law,” concluded the senators. Bennet has consistently fought against the Trump Administration’s inhumane immigration policies. In May 2026, Bennet introduced three bills aimed at reforming the DHS, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP): the Keeping Immigrants and Destinations Safe (KIDS) Act; the Training, Responsibility, Uniforms, and Standards for Transparency (TRUST) Act; and the Oversight, Protection, and Enforcement Notification (OPEN) Act. In March 2026, Bennet issued a statement when Trump fired former Secretary Noem, and emphasized that DHS must undergo a complete overhaul, which is only the first step toward DHS reforms. In January 2026, Bennet joined his colleagues in introducing the Providing Useful Budgets for Localities to Invest in Cops by Substituting Appropriations from Federal Enforcement To Yield Results (PUBLIC SAFETY) Act, legislation to redirect nearly $75 billion in funding passed in the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act from ICE and send it instead to local law enforcement programs to help hire and train 200,000 local police officers in communities across the country. In November 2025, Bennet joined his colleagues in introducing the bicameral Restoring Access to Detainees Act, legislation to ensure DHS allows noncitizens who have been detained to c