U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Newark, with support from federal and local law enforcement partners, arrested Ismail Sayik, a 29-year-old Turkish citizen who was unlawfully residing in the United States. The arrest took place in Sunnyside, New York. Sayik, who faces three outstanding arrest warrants overseas—including one for alleged murder—remains in ICE custody at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York, as authorities prepare for his removal proceedings.
The arrest followed a tip from the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) attaché office in Turkey, which flagged Sayik as a person of interest believed to be hiding in the United States. ICE personnel, supported by federal partners, executed the arrest without incident.
“Once the ICE Homeland Security Investigations attaché office in Turkey alerted HSI Newark that a person of interest overseas was in New Jersey illegally, our team quickly responded, identified the suspect, and arrested him in Queens, New York,” said Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI Newark. “We are grateful for our federal partners, particularly the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, for their support of ICE’s mission to safeguard our homeland from criminals unlawfully hiding in our neighborhoods.”
Sayik’s path to this arrest began two years earlier, on March 17, 2023, when U.S. Border Patrol apprehended him near Jacumba, California, shortly after he illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. At the time, Border Patrol agents processed him and issued a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.
Authorities released Sayik on an Order of Recognizance, requiring him to report to the nearest ICE office as his removal proceedings progressed. On April 5, 2023, Sayik complied with the order, checking in with ICE’s New York office.
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Susan Shrestha
View More PostsSusan Shrestha covers a wide range of topics, from local matters to global affairs.
