FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Rafael Benavides, media@mifamiliavota.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mi Familia Vota President and CEO, Hector Sanchez Barba, issued a statement after ICE shot and killed a 26-year-old Colombian man today in Biddeford, Maine:

“Our hearts go out to the family of the 26-year-old man who was shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement early this morning. Just days after ICE killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, we have more blood on the hands of an over-militarized, violent and dangerous crackdown under the leadership of Donald Trump.

“This must stop now. We must not accept that in the United States of America, the most vulnerable among us can be harassed, disappeared, denied due process, sent off to prisons in countries other than their own, or killed at the hands of the state without any recourse for justice.

“Since the start of Donald Trump’s second term, at least 21 people have been shot by federal immigration officials, including 11 who were killed.

“Every loss of life demands the truth. We demand transparency, accountability and justice. We also call on Congress to pass legislation requiring that every fatal shooting or death involving federal law enforcement officers be subject to an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation. No agency should be permitted to investigate itself when deadly force is used. The American people deserve a process that is impartial, credible, and worthy of public trust, regardless of which federal agency is involved.

“We stand with this young man's family, the Colombian community, and all immigrant families who are living with fear and uncertainty. Justice begins with the truth, and the American people deserve nothing less.”

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About Mi Familia Vota
Mi Familia Vota’s mission is to mobilize Latino power through year-round activation of the electorate and investment in local infrastructure, to advance our community’s policy priorities. Mi Familia Vota is fighting for a future where Latino voices shape and advance policies that promote the health, safety and prosperity of Latino communities across the country.