More than 1,000 protesters gathered in Portland’s Monument Square on Saturday despite steady rain, calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following last week’s fatal shooting of a Colombian immigrant during an enforcement operation in Biddeford.
The demonstration was part of a nationwide “National Day of Action” held in cities across the country, with organizers focusing on the July 13 death of 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero.
The shooting has become a flashpoint in Maine, drawing calls from elected officials, civil rights advocates, and members of the public for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Durán Guerrero was not the intended target of the ICE operation. Federal officials have said agents were conducting surveillance on another individual when Durán Guerrero attempted to drive away, prompting an ICE agent to fire his weapon. The shooting remains under investigation.
Saturday’s rally, organized by the Maine Party for Socialism and Liberation and other advocacy groups, drew one of the largest immigration-related demonstrations in Maine in recent years. Speakers addressed the crowd in Monument Square before protesters marched through downtown Portland to the local office of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.
Throughout the rally, demonstrators directed much of their criticism at Collins, citing her previous vote supporting a $70 billion increase in ICE funding. Protesters carried signs reading, “ICE pulled the trigger. Sen. Collins gave the gun,” while chants echoed through the square as the march made its way across the city.
Although emotions ran high, the demonstration remained peaceful. A handful of verbal exchanges occurred between protesters and a small group of pro-ICE counter-protesters gathered near the edge of Monument Square, but no significant incidents were reported.
Speakers at the event expressed varying views on how the federal government should respond to the Biddeford shooting. Many called for ICE to be abolished entirely and for the agency to end operations in Maine.
Others advocated for more limited reforms, including suspending ICE vehicle stops, expanding agent training, and implementing stricter operational policies to reduce the likelihood of future confrontations.
Civil rights advocates and members of Durán Guerrero’s family also renewed calls for a transparent, independent investigation into the shooting. Those demands have been echoed by several Maine officials, including Gov. Janet Mills and members of the state’s congressional delegation, who have called for a full accounting of what occurred during the operation.
The Biddeford shooting continues to draw national attention as federal investigators work to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal encounter. Meanwhile, Saturday’s demonstration underscored the growing divide over immigration enforcement in Maine, with protesters arguing that systemic changes are needed while others continue to defend ICE’s role in enforcing federal immigration law.
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