The Biddeford ICE shooting has left a Maine city grieving, a Colombian family without a son, and members of Congress admitting openly that they cannot answer basic questions about what happened. That last point became impossible to miss on Monday, when roughly 200 people filled a high school gymnasium for an unofficial congressional session convened specifically because the official version never materialized.

Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 25, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on the morning of July 13. More than a month later, the agency has offered no public account of the encounter, no explanation of who fired the shots, and no information about that officer’s background, screening or training.

A Revelation That Wasn’t Confirmed

Rep. Chellie Pingree opened with what sounded like a significant development. She told the crowd that new details had surfaced within the past few days indicating agents had actually been pursuing Durán Guerrero’s roommate, and that the roommate carried no final order of removal.

That would directly undercut ICE’s own statement issued shortly after the shooting, which described the operation as targeting someone under such an order. Pingree called it a shocking revelation and said it plainly contradicted the official narrative.

Then came the qualification. Speaking with reporters afterward in the same gym, Pingree acknowledged the information came from a Washington Post story rather than from any government source — and the Post has not, in fact, reported that the roommate was the target. Nothing had been verified by ICE. She shifted to calling him the presumed target.

The stumble was awkward, but it illustrated the day’s central complaint better than any prepared remark could have. Lawmakers charged with oversight are piecing together a fatal federal shooting from news clippings.

Why Democrats Held Their Own Hearing

The event was organized because the Republican chair of the House Homeland Security Committee has not scheduled an oversight hearing since February. Rather than wait, Democrats staged their own.

Joining Pingree were Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the committee’s senior Democrat, along with Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Rep. Troy Carter of New Orleans. Thompson said he extended invitations to Republican committee members; none showed up.

Thompson also noted that every Democrat in Congress signed a letter on July 15 requesting details about the killing. Neither DHS nor ICE has responded.

The panel had no information about whether the FBI or the DHS Inspector General has opened any inquiry at all. The family’s attorney, Ben Gideon, said his own investigators found no sign of federal activity anywhere in Maine.

A Father Speaks

Durán Guerrero’s parents, Dora Guerrero and Omar Durán Plata, traveled from Colombia to attend. Gideon said coming to the country where their son was killed by a federal agent required real courage.

Durán Plata addressed the room briefly. He described his son as honest, responsible and loving, and said the family does not know how to continue living without him. He spoke about his granddaughter Dulce, three years old, who keeps asking why her father never comes home from work. He closed by asking God and the justice system to bring the truth of his son’s case into the open.

Thompson said he wept with the couple before the event began. The auditorium rose to its feet for them.

Unanswered Questions About the Agent

Nobody on stage could say where the agent involved is now, or whether he still holds his job. An ex-wife has identified him as David Brouillette, but he has not responded to interview requests and a phone number linked to him is out of service.

Audience members were blunt about their expectations. Dick Bennett of Biddeford said he believes nothing will come of it and has no confidence any prosecution will follow. Katherine Rielly of Buxton questioned why the state has not moved publicly, arguing that an ordinary person would have been arrested by now. Her concern is that Maine authorities will ultimately step aside for the federal government.

The State Investigation

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey’s office is leading the state inquiry but did not take part in Monday’s proceedings. In a statement released later, the office said the investigation remains active and that evidence is being collected, processed and analyzed to determine whether state law permits legal action.

Responding to public frustration over the pace, the office said safeguarding the integrity of the investigation comes first while evidence gathering continues.

Gov. Janet Mills, a former prosecutor, expressed full confidence that Frey’s office will complete a thorough review and report its findings publicly in time. She grew emotional discussing constitutional protections and said she believes ICE is putting Maine residents at risk. If the agency cannot be fundamentally reformed, she said, it should be abolished. The crowd cheered, and throughout the afternoon voices called out that they do not feel safe.

The Cost to a City

Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain drew some of the loudest applause of the day. He described a federal force entering his city, deploying one of the gravest powers any government holds, and then leaving the aftermath for Durán Guerrero’s family and the community to absorb. Immigrant residents, including those with legal status, are now afraid to go about ordinary daily life.

LaFountain said neither ICE nor DHS has contacted the city. Gideon said the family has heard nothing from them either.

What Remains Unresolved

Durán Guerrero was simply getting into a car to head to work that morning. Gideon said five shots were fired. Pingree raised the question of whether the agent even knew who was in his sights.

Local artists have since painted a 15-foot mural of Durán Guerrero with his daughter near the corner of Main and Alfred streets.

His family handed the car over to state investigators but wants his legal documents returned so they can repatriate his remains to Colombia for burial. That request, like nearly everything else surrounding this case, is still waiting.