A 28-year-old man died Tuesday morning after being struck by a tractor-trailer while fleeing an encounter with federal immigration agents in St. Augustine, Florida, authorities told Newsweek.
The man was among four vehicle occupants who ran from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents after stopping at a gas station before 7 a.m., according to authorities. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) told Newsweek he ran across State Road 16 and into the path of a semi-truck.
The driver stopped and attempted to render aid, but the man died at the scene. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified him as a Mexican national. Authorities have not publicly released details on his immigration status.
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The death comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement operations and marks the third death in roughly a week linked to encounters with federal immigration agents, following separate shootings in Texas and Maine.
DHS said in a statement to Newsweek that FHP and HSI are investigating the incident and that additional information would be released when available.
Democratic state Representative Angie Nixon criticized ICE following the death, writing on X that it was the result of “an out-of-control agency terrorizing our communities and our state” and calling for the agency to be abolished.
Congressman Sam Liccardo, a California Democrat, reacted to the death in Florida, saying on X that “ICE presence is a tremendous public safety risk in every city. Calling them ‘Keystone Cops’ would minimize their tragic damage to every community.”
Newsweek has reached out to Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ office and independent St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline’s office for comment.
Fatal Encounters Put ICE Under Scrutiny
The Florida death came as federal immigration authorities faced mounting scrutiny over a series of fatal encounters during enforcement operations.
On July 7, ICE officers fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a vehicle stop in Houston. DHS said officers opened fire after the driver failed to comply with commands and drove toward agents, but the shooting raised questions about the agency’s use-of-force practices. The case drew additional attention after reports that the officers involved were not wearing body cameras despite a broader federal effort to expand their use.
Another deadly confrontation unfolded in Maine on Monday. ICE officers fatally shot 26-year-old Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during an enforcement operation in Biddeford. DHS said an officer fired after Guerrero attempted to flee in his vehicle, while the department maintained the officer acted out of concern for public safety. The shooting prompted protests, calls for investigations and demands for greater transparency, from elected officials in Maine and Colombia.
Questions about the Maine shooting continue to mount. Witnesses and advocates challenged aspects of the government’s account, while Maine’s congressional delegation called for a comprehensive review of the shooting. The state’s attorney general is investigating alongside federal authorities, and DHS’ Office of Inspector General has also been involved in reviewing the deadly encounter.
ICE Suspends Most Vehicle Stops
The back-to-back deaths prompted the Trump administration to direct ICE officers to suspend most vehicle stops, a source familiar told Newsweek. The policy shift allows some exceptions, including when officers are executing criminal warrants or working alongside partner law-enforcement agencies.
An ICE spokesperson told Newsweek: “We are always evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and criminals off our streets. We will not disclose or discuss law enforcement tactics.”
While speaking with Fox News on Tuesday, Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, said in part, “Look, it’s not a policy change, it’s a temporary pause.
“This is a temporary pause while they look at the incidents, but let me say this too. I hear a lot of noise right now, this is going to affect ICE arrests and it’s not going to,” Homan added, based on his understanding after talking to the ICE director.
Homan said that every case is different, while noting an uptick in vehicle assaults.
Tuesday’s death in Florida differed from the shootings in Texas and Maine because the man was not killed by law enforcement gunfire. Still, it will add to criticism from immigrant-rights advocates and Democratic officials who argue the administration’s enforcement tactics have increased the risk of dangerous confrontations.
The succession of incidents has intensified an already heated debate over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, with critics demanding greater oversight of enforcement operations while administration officials defend officers’ actions as necessary to carry out immigration laws and protect public safety.
Adriana Rivera, communications director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said Tuesday’s death in St. Augustine was part of a broader pattern rather than “an isolated incident.”
Rivera told Newsweek it was “perfectly understandable” that someone would flee from immigration agents amid growing fears surrounding enforcement operations. She argued that when federal agents initiate encounters that create “panic and fear, people run” because they worry about detention, family separation, deportation and other consequences. Rivera added that the recent string of fatalities had heightened those concerns, saying that for some immigrants, “whether someone runs or complies with ICE, death is a very real possible outcome.”
The Florida Immigrant Coalition is also calling for a full, transparent investigation into the deaths in St. Augustine, Texas and Maine, including the actions of federal agents involved on scene. The organization is also urging accountability for all use-of-force incidents involving ICE and DHS agents, and advocating for the abolition of ICE, with its funding redirected to essential public services such as healthcare and education.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant and Edward T. Cummins.