RELEASE: Gottheimer Sends Letter to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Sends Letter to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Jul 15, 2026 Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pushing for greater transparency following the deaths of two individuals during ICE operations. The Honorable Markwayne Mullin Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE Washington, DC 20528 The Honorable David Venturella Acting Director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 500 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20024 Dear Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Venturella: I am writing regarding two deaths over the past week involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. On July 7, 2026, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a longtime Houston resident, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an attempted vehicle stop. On July 13, 2026, ICE agents fatally shot Johan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine. These incidents have caused real fear and confusion in the affected communities, and the public deserves a clear, factual account of what happened in each case. I respectfully urge the Department to support an independent investigation into both deaths, conducted without interference, and to make its findings public to the greatest extent possible. Transparency serves everyone, including the agents who carry out difficult and dangerous work, and it is the surest way to maintain public trust in federal law enforcement. I have also consistently called for increased training standards to ensure that our immigration enforcement is conducted with the highest levels of professionalism. All officers should receive training in de-escalation, constitutional search and seizure, and conducting operations appropriately in public and protest settings. Finally, it is deeply concerning that officers in both cases were not wearing body-worn cameras. I want to emphasize the importance of using body-worn cameras, which provide an objective account that benefits investigators, officers, and the public. With the substantial funding Congress has provided ICE and Customs and Border Protection, equipping agents with cameras and ensuring footage is preserved for any review is achievable and would protect officers and the public alike. To help me and my constituents better understand your Department’s practices, I ask that you respond to the following: What training do ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers receive on vehicle stops, and specifically on when discharging a weapon at or into a moving vehicle is permitted? DHS previously announced it would equip officers with body-worn cameras. What share of ICE and CBP officers conducting field enforcement are currently issued cameras and required to activate them, and what is the timeline and cost estimate to reach full deployment? In what percentage of use-of-force incidents over the past 12 months was body-worn camera footage actually captured? What are the Department’s policies on the retention of, and congressional access to, that footage? How does ICE coordinate with state and local law enforcement before and during enforcement operations, and what steps does it take to ensure those partners are informed and that operations are carried out safely for officers and the public alike? Of the incidents involving a discharged weapon or serious injury since January 2025, how many have been referred to the DHS Office of Inspector General or the Department of Justice, what is the status of those reviews, and will the findings be shared with Congress? What additional resources, personnel, training, or statutory authorities does the Department believe it needs to improve both officer safety and public safety during enforcement operations? Getting the facts right in these two cases, and strengthening ICE’s accountability and use-of-force practices going forward, serves both the public and officers. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. ### Share on