Trump Urges ICE to Continue Traffic Stops

Donald Trump stated on Wednesday morning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should continue conducting traffic stops. This statement follows a temporary halt on such operations, which was reportedly ordered on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The directive to stop pulling drivers over came after two separate incidents resulted in the fatal shootings of unarmed individuals by ICE agents within a week.

Homeland security sources informed The Guardian that federal officers were instructed to temporarily cease vehicle stops. The first incident occurred in Houston on July 7, where ICE agents fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. The second fatal shooting involved Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine on Monday. In both cases, the individuals killed were unarmed and not the intended targets of the operations. Furthermore, the agents involved in these shootings were not wearing body cameras, according to the sources.

Trump's call for the continuation of these traffic stops directly contrasts with the DHS's temporary suspension. The decision to halt the stops appears to be a direct response to the recent fatalities and the lack of body camera footage, raising concerns about accountability and the use of force by ICE agents. The specific date of Trump's statement was Wednesday morning, July 17, 2026, and the DHS directive was issued on Tuesday, July 16, 2026.