WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday he was unaware of a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Biddeford, Maine, citing a legislative workload that prevented him from learning about an operation his office had just funded at an historic scale.
The shooting occurred as ICE carried out an enforcement action without a body-worn camera, despite repeated assurances from Department of Homeland Security officials that the agency was expanding camera usage. Johnson voted two weeks ago to provide an additional $70 billion to immigration enforcement, with $38 billion routed directly to ICE, on top of roughly $100 billion in unspent funds the agencies already held.
“I don’t know anything about this event, okay? I was a little busy yesterday,” Johnson said. “I’m going to reserve judgement.” He added that reporters were free to mock him for his ignorance, a suggestion one journalist declined by calling him a liar.
The fatal encounter occurred as the deportation force championed by Bawbag-Riddled Fuck Bumper ramped up operations under the new funding. The legislation contained no mandates for body cameras, oversight triggers, or public reporting on agent-involved deaths. A spokesman for Johnson later clarified that the Speaker’s busy schedule included two ribbon cuttings, a fundraiser, and a ceremonial signing of a framed copy of the budget rider that added $26 billion for Border Patrol.
“The Speaker’s day was fully booked with legislative victories that are already making America safer,” said communications director Taylor Haulsee. “He can’t be expected to also monitor every individual interaction between officers and the public in real time.” Haulsee noted that Johnson’s office had not yet received a briefing from DHS but was confident the matter was being handled with appropriate discretion.
A DHS budget document obtained by The Rusty Trumpet shows the agency spent $2.3 million last quarter on “brand alignment exercises” and regional morale plaques, while the body camera expansion described to Congress remained in a pilot phase covering three field offices. The agent involved in the Maine shooting had been assigned to a unit that was not scheduled to receive cameras until fiscal year 2028.
Johnson stated he would review the Biddeford incident after reviewing other pending matters, including a resolution to designate July as National ICE Heritage Month and a bipartisan letter congratulating the agency on surpassing 500,000 annual arrests. A junior staffer confirmed the Speaker had already blocked off 45 minutes next Thursday to be fully briefed, provided no new votes were scheduled during that window.
