A Brooklyn homeowner, Hayk Safaryan, was awoken in the dead of night by federal immigration officers who burst into his apartment without warning or a judicial warrant, sparking allegations that he was subjected to an unacceptable level of trauma.
According to Safaryan's wife, Léah Lazonick, she witnessed the entire ordeal from her bedroom door as ICE agents entered their home on June 16th. Officers confiscated personal belongings and documents, including Safaryan's passport and social security card, before detaining him in a black van parked outside. The agents' actions were described by Lazonick as "traumatic" and left her feeling "unsafe in my own apartment."
The family's situation has sparked calls for increased oversight of immigration enforcement activities across the country. A federal lawsuit challenging Safaryan's arrest alleges that ICE officers entered his home without a warrant, violating constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
ICE's internal memo, leaked last month, allows agents to forcibly enter homes without judicial warrants or consent, sparking concerns about civil liberties and due process. Advocacy groups have pushed back on the guidance, citing long-standing Supreme Court precedent governing searches of homes and private property.
Safaryan, an Armenian immigrant with over two decades in the US, faces charges of grand larceny related to a home renovation project he was hired for but failed to complete. His lawyer claims that ICE's actions have denied him due process by preventing him from attending court hearings while detained.
The incident highlights the growing controversy surrounding immigration enforcement, particularly among Democrats in Congress who are pushing for further constraints on federal agents. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for a ban on DHS officers entering private property without judicial warrants.
In New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed a bill restricting federal immigration officers from entering "sensitive locations" – such as schools and hospitals – without obtaining a judicial warrant. The move comes as instances of ICE agents bypassing front desks at shelters and entering private areas without warrants have been uncovered in New York City.
Safaryan remains detained in Elizabeth, New Jersey, while his case unfolds. His wife Lazonick expressed desperation in her letter to Gothamist, stating that she will likely be evicted from their apartment if he is not released, describing the experience as a "traumatic nightmare" that has devastated their community.
According to Safaryan's wife, Léah Lazonick, she witnessed the entire ordeal from her bedroom door as ICE agents entered their home on June 16th. Officers confiscated personal belongings and documents, including Safaryan's passport and social security card, before detaining him in a black van parked outside. The agents' actions were described by Lazonick as "traumatic" and left her feeling "unsafe in my own apartment."
The family's situation has sparked calls for increased oversight of immigration enforcement activities across the country. A federal lawsuit challenging Safaryan's arrest alleges that ICE officers entered his home without a warrant, violating constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
ICE's internal memo, leaked last month, allows agents to forcibly enter homes without judicial warrants or consent, sparking concerns about civil liberties and due process. Advocacy groups have pushed back on the guidance, citing long-standing Supreme Court precedent governing searches of homes and private property.
Safaryan, an Armenian immigrant with over two decades in the US, faces charges of grand larceny related to a home renovation project he was hired for but failed to complete. His lawyer claims that ICE's actions have denied him due process by preventing him from attending court hearings while detained.
The incident highlights the growing controversy surrounding immigration enforcement, particularly among Democrats in Congress who are pushing for further constraints on federal agents. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for a ban on DHS officers entering private property without judicial warrants.
In New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed a bill restricting federal immigration officers from entering "sensitive locations" – such as schools and hospitals – without obtaining a judicial warrant. The move comes as instances of ICE agents bypassing front desks at shelters and entering private areas without warrants have been uncovered in New York City.
Safaryan remains detained in Elizabeth, New Jersey, while his case unfolds. His wife Lazonick expressed desperation in her letter to Gothamist, stating that she will likely be evicted from their apartment if he is not released, describing the experience as a "traumatic nightmare" that has devastated their community.
This dude's story is just heartbreaking 
. It's no wonder his wife is feeling traumatized 
.
. We need to stand with him and advocate for better treatment of immigrants who are already contributing to our society 
.
. We need to make sure that our law enforcement agencies are following the rules and respecting people's rights, especially when it comes to basic human dignity 
.
I'm not saying it's okay for ICE agents to just barge into people's homes without warning, but can we also talk about how this guy was in the US with a fake passport? Like, come on, he knew the risks and chose to stay here without going through the proper channels. He gets arrested for grand larceny and what happens? The system lets him off scot-free because ICE agents made a mistake? 
It's not entirely fair to say that ICE is out of control just because one agent messed up. Maybe we should be focusing on making the asylum process less confusing instead of letting people like Safaryan take advantage of our system? 
. Like, how would ICE just burst into someone's apartment without a warrant or anything? That's just crazy talk 
. But at the same time, Safaryan did get in some trouble for not finishing that renovation job... so maybe he had it coming? 
.
The whole thing just feels like a big mess 
. But honestly? I don't know what's going on anymore 
. Or maybe not 
I mean, come on, let's get real here. If you're breaking the law and getting caught, you shouldn't be expecting special treatment just because it's your first offense 
. Grand larceny is a serious crime, and Safaryan should be facing some serious consequences for his actions.
. And another thing, if Schumer and Hochul think they're so smart by proposing these laws, maybe they should try being the ones who have to deal with the consequences of all this political posturing 
.
. And I don't think it's fair to say it's just about civil liberties, we gotta talk about the fact that this is just another example of a broken immigration system 
. And can we talk about how this is affecting his whole family?! They're already super stressed out, and now Léah has to deal with the trauma of watching her hubby get taken away like that 
. We need more accountability from our government agencies on this one 
.
.
. I'm glad that there are people in Congress pushing back against this, like Chuck Schumer, but we need more than just politicians talking about it - we need real change 
. I hope he gets released from detention soon and that this whole situation blows over soon 
.
these agents are literally putting lives in danger not to mention the trauma it causes families. idk what's going on with congress but it seems like they're more worried about being tough on immigrants than actually protecting them 
this is just awful... i can only imagine how scary and traumatizing it must've been for you both 
the fact that they're denying you due process by keeping you from attending court hearings while detained is just cruel 
. please take care of yourself and Léah during this tough time 
. Maybe they should've tried contacting him in person or sending a letter instead of bursting into his home like the law enforcement equivalent of a SWAT team 
.
. I mean, can you even imagine if this happened to your family? The thought of losing your home because someone made a mistake is just heartbreaking 
... I mean, who gets busted by immigration officers in the middle of the night without any warning? 
this whole thing is super worrying... think about how traumatizing it must've been for Hayk and his wife to have ICE agents just burst into their home like that no warning no nothing ... it's crazy to me they're even questioning whether or not the officers did it right on purpose or not but honestly if i were in their shoes idc why are they taking him away when he didnt even commit a crime 