Homan orders review of ICE vetting after Maine shooting revelations
Internal affairs probe launched as acting director mandates body cameras for all vehicle stops amid bipartisan concerns over DHS hiring practices.
US President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has announced an internal review into the vetting and training of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer David Brouillette following a deadly shooting in Maine. The investigation was triggered after Brouillette’s relatives revealed to The Associated Press that the officer had a history of serious mental health struggles and violent behaviour. Homan stated on CNN that if these allegations are true, the officer “should never have cleared vetting.”
Homan confirmed that both the training protocols and the specific vetting process for Brouillette are under review by the internal affairs section. The scrutiny comes as questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) rapid hiring and deployment of thousands of new ICE officers intensify. These concerns have been amplified by back-to-back deadly shootings of immigrants in Maine and Houston, which have drawn sharp focus to the agency’s tactics under Trump’s immigration crackdown.
In response to the incident, Acting ICE director David Venturella has issued a new directive requiring at least one body camera to be active during all vehicle stops. Homan noted that changes have been implemented, stating that Venturella has instructed officers to ensure at least one camera is on site to record the entire event. This measure aims to address concerns regarding transparency and accountability in field operations.
The incident has also highlighted a policy rift within the executive branch. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had initially ordered a temporary pause in vehicle stops following the Maine shooting. However, President Trump almost immediately reversed this decision, insisting that stops resume as a necessary tool in the campaign to round up and deport immigrants without current legal status.
Bipartisan concerns over DHS hiring and training practices are mounting in Congress. During a closed-door briefing for the House Homeland Security Committee last week, Democrats pressed ICE officials, expressing dissatisfaction with the answers provided. Lawmakers were informed that there have been 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers; while 32 were cleared and one referred for disciplinary action, no discipline has yet been handed out, with the remainder still under investigation.
Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has also pushed for stricter oversight. Collins ensured funding for body camera initiatives and described the officer’s failure to use a camera in the Maine incident as “extremely unfortunate.” Despite the growing pressure, the DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the internal review on Sunday.
