BIDDEFORD, Maine — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer whose relatives have identified him as the agent who fatally shot Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in July was accused by his sister of making anti-immigrant and xenophobic remarks years before the shooting, according to emails shared with ABC News.
The emails, dated January 2021, were exchanged between the officer, identified by relatives as David Brouillette, and his sister, Elizabeth Emen. The correspondence reportedly included derogatory comments about Emen’s former partner, a Colombian national who she said was living legally in the United States and pursuing a doctoral degree at the time.
Emails Reveal Family Dispute Over Sister’s Colombian Partner
According to ABC News, Emen shared copies of the emails with the network after the exchange was first reported by The New York Times. In one message dated January 11, 2021, Brouillette allegedly told his sister that her former partner could “take his non citizen ass back to his country,” and referred to the man’s country as offering “third world luxuries.”
Other portions of the correspondence reportedly questioned the man’s right to belong in the United States and made disparaging references to his family background. Emen told ABC News that she regarded the comments as racist and xenophobic, and said they were directed at her partner because of his nationality and perceived immigration status.
Emen said the exchange ended her relationship with her brother. She told ABC News that when she later learned he was the ICE officer involved in the July shooting, she was shocked that he had been hired by a federal law-enforcement agency and entrusted with a firearm.
ABC News said it was unable to reach Brouillette for comment. The Department of Homeland Security has not officially identified the officer, saying it would not confirm or deny attempts to identify federal law-enforcement personnel.
Colombian National Was Killed During July Immigration Operation
Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was fatally shot on July 13, 2026, in Biddeford, Maine, during an immigration enforcement operation. ICE said at the time that agents were conducting surveillance at an address connected to a person with a final order of removal. The agency said officers attempted to stop a vehicle that tried to flee and that an officer fired out of concern for public safety.
However, the circumstances surrounding the operation have been disputed. Maine Senator Angus King said Durán Guerrero was not the intended target. In August, Representative Chellie Pingree said the intended target was the victim’s roommate, who owned the vehicle Durán Guerrero was driving, and that the roommate was not subject to a final removal order. DHS said it stood by its earlier assessment and declined to disclose sensitive operational information. The Associated Press reported on the dispute.
The Maine Attorney General’s Office is investigating the shooting. Brouillette has not been charged with a crime in connection with Durán Guerrero’s death. The investigation remains separate from the questions raised by the emails about the officer’s past statements and ICE’s recruitment and vetting procedures.
ICE Defends Its Hiring And Vetting Standards
Following the publication of the emails, Democratic lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee said they would examine who approved the officer’s hiring and whether warning signs had been overlooked. Their statement raised questions about the agency’s screening procedures and the standards used to assess candidates entrusted with enforcement powers.
A DHS spokesperson defended the agency’s hiring process, telling ABC News that incoming ICE officers are onboarded in accordance with applicable policies and standards. The department rejected claims of inadequate training or vetting, but did not directly address the specific remarks attributed to Brouillette in the emails.
An attorney representing Durán Guerrero’s family said the death reflected a failure to properly screen officers. The family’s position adds to calls for a transparent investigation into the shooting and a closer examination of how federal immigration agents are recruited, trained and supervised.
Questions Extend Beyond One Officer
The emails do not establish what motivated the July shooting or prove that the officer’s alleged earlier statements influenced his actions during the operation. They do, however, raise questions about how agencies assess attitudes, judgment and professional conduct when selecting officers who may use force in the course of their duties.
For Durán Guerrero’s family, the central issue remains the circumstances of his death and whether the investigation will provide accountability. For Emen, speaking publicly about the emails is also an effort to support the family and ensure that the concerns she says she raised years ago are examined.
The Maine investigation has not reached a public conclusion. Until authorities release further findings, key questions about the shooting, the officer’s actions and the agency’s vetting process remain unresolved. The allegations in the emails should also be understood as claims attributed to the sister and the documents she provided, not as a criminal finding against the officer.
Sources: ABC News · Associated Press · ABC News / Associated Press · The New York Times.