A former New York City police sergeant, Atickul Islam, pleaded guilty to charges of impersonating a federal immigration official. This plea was made in Brooklyn federal court, where it was accepted by U.S. District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. Islam admitted to falsely presenting himself as a U.S. officer to intimidate a woman and her family with deportation threats.
The 29-year-old from Queens had identified himself as the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York City. He sent the woman a fraudulent immigration notice, instructing her and her family to appear at an ICE office by April 15, 2025. His actions led to charges of false impersonation of a U.S. officer, a felony with a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
During the March 29 incident, Islam sent text messages to the woman threatening her family’s financial security and promising to alert ICE. Prosecutors reported that Islam followed through on his threat by contacting her under the guise of ICE’s New York Field Office director. In this communication, he falsely informed her of a report to immigration authorities and instructed her compliance under threat of legal action.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., criticized Islam for betraying public trust. He emphasized the importance of integrity within law enforcement, stating that the justice system will not tolerate misuse of federal authority for personal vendettas. James C. Barnacle Jr., from the FBI’s New York Field Office, echoed these sentiments, condemning Islam’s actions as an abuse of fake authority for intimidation purposes.
As part of his plea agreement, Islam was required to resign from the New York Police Department (NYPD), which he did on September 25. The agreement also prevents him from seeking future employment within any law enforcement agency. Initially, Islam pleaded not guilty after his arrest in November 2025, released on a $25,000 bond. His case involved extensive discovery and multiple judicial conferences before the guilty plea in September.
The sentencing for Islam is set for March 24, 2027, where he could face up to three years in prison. The FBI had previously alerted law enforcement about criminals posing as ICE agents throughout 2025, which included numerous incidents of fraud and victim intimidation. The FBI bulletin highlighted several cases where perpetrators used ICE impersonations to commit crimes like robbery and assault.
ICE, through a spokesperson, condemned these impersonations as illegal and dangerous, affirming that imposters will face legal consequences. Retired ICE agent Scott Mechkowski noted the ease with which individuals can now pose as agents, due to ICE’s extensive public presence.