The name Joan Sebastian Guerrero has become the latest flashpoint in America's heated immigration debate after the 26-year-old Colombian father was fatally shot during a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Biddeford, Maine.
Immigration advocates say Guerrero was on his way to work, legally employed in the United States with a Social Security number, when ICE agents confronted him. Officials later acknowledged he was not the individual they had initially been searching for, raising fresh questions about one of the agency's most controversial operations this year.
Who Was Joan Sebastian Guerrero
Joan Sebastian Guerrero was identified by immigrant rights organisations as a 26-year-old Colombian national who had been authorised to work legally in the United States.
According to advocates, Guerrero had obtained a Social Security number and was travelling to work on Monday morning when ICE agents stopped his white Kia in Biddeford, a coastal city about 15 miles (24 km) south of Portland.
Social media posts widely shared after the shooting described Guerrero as the father of a three-year-old daughter who was reportedly sitting in the back seat of the vehicle during the confrontation. Those posts claimed the child witnessed the shooting while still wearing her Bluey pyjamas.
The Colombian Embassy later confirmed it was providing consular assistance to Guerrero's family while remaining in contact with US authorities regarding his death.
Immigration advocates also said Guerrero was not living in the country unlawfully, challenging early assumptions made online following the shooting.
ICE Deadly Shooting
The fatal encounter unfolded shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday while ICE agents were conducting surveillance at the last known address of someone with a final order of removal.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, agents attempted to stop a vehicle leaving the residence. The department said the driver attempted to flee, prompting an ICE officer to discharge his weapon because he feared for public safety.
Officials did not explain how the vehicle presented an immediate threat or specify how many shots were fired.
The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI responded to the scene, although federal authorities did not immediately clarify which agency would oversee the investigation.
Viral Posts And Protests Demand Answers
News of Guerrero's death spread rapidly across social media, where thousands of users questioned ICE's handling of the operation.
One widely shared post read, '26yo Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a Colombian national, was authorized to work here. He was NOT an illegal immigrant.'
🚨Second ICE Shooting in a Week Claims Another Life.
— Rodney (@cryptojourneyrs) July 13, 2026
26yo Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a Colombian national, was authorized to work here. He was NOT an illegal immigrant.
Officials Admit They Targeted the Wrong Man in Maine, Following the Houston Incident. https://t.co/JVb9cKDv79 pic.twitter.com/8JpasfkrWH
Another viral post stated, 'OMG. They still dropped him on the ground and handcuffed him after a bullet through his head.'
OMG. They still dropped him on the ground and handcuffed him after a bullet through his head. pic.twitter.com/AsKoHCkZPO https://t.co/pNKH95bryc
— David J. Bier (@David_J_Bier) July 13, 2026
Authorities have not confirmed the social media allegations that Guerrero was handcuffed after his death, that he suffered a gunshot wound to the head, or that his daughter witnessed the shooting.
The fatal shooting nevertheless sparked protests in Biddeford, where demonstrators marched through the town demanding accountability and condemning ICE's expanding immigration enforcement operations.
With no body camera footage available and investigators still working to establish exactly what happened, Guerrero's death has intensified scrutiny of ICE's use of deadly force. For many, the unanswered questions surrounding the young Colombian father's final journey to work have become just as significant as the official explanation itself.
