Bensonhurst apartment sweep and detention of Deacon Sebastian Renoj Ordoñez (Brooklyn, 2026-01-16)
| Date | 2026-01-16 |
|---|---|
| Time | Early morning |
| City | Brooklyn (Bensonhurst) |
| County | Kings County |
| State | New York |
| Country | United States |
| Location details | Apartment building on Bay Ridge Parkway (Bay Parkway); agents reported waiting outside the building |
| Facility | |
| Agencies involved | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ([[ICE]]); Department of Homeland Security (DHS) |
| Operation type | Targeted apartment-building operation / "wait outside" sweep |
| Status | Not researched |
| People affected | ~6–7 community members detained, including Deacon Sebastian Renoj Ordoñez (age 58) |
| Arrests reported | |
| Detentions reported | Yes — approximately six to seven residents, including Ordoñez |
| Deportations | Pending (immigration custody) |
| Injuries | None reported |
| Deaths | None |
| Agents at the scene | |
| Vehicles at the scene | ICE vehicle reported waiting outside the building |
| Verification | Not researched |
| Key sources | * CBS News NY – Brooklyn deacon detained by ICE after leaving apartment: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/brooklyn-deacon-sebastian-ordonez-detained-ice
|
⚠ Verification status: NOT RESEARCHED — compiled from press reporting, not yet verified by ICE List. Volunteers: confirm against the two-source standard before changing status.
Summary: Early on Thursday 16 January 2026, ICE agents detained roughly six to seven residents of an apartment building on Bay Ridge Parkway in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, as they left for the day. Among those taken was Deacon Sebastian Renoj Ordoñez, 58, a leader at the Iglesia Jovenes Cristianos church for nearly two decades. Community leaders said Ordoñez had no criminal record; DHS countered that he was an undocumented Guatemalan national with a prior immigration history under a different name. The detention drew condemnation from local clergy and elected officials and became a focal point for concern over intensifying ICE activity in southern Brooklyn.
Full Description
According to Pastor (Bishop) Erick Salgado of Iglesia Jovenes Cristianos and City Council Member Susan Zhuang, ICE agents positioned themselves outside an apartment building on Bay Ridge Parkway early on 16 January 2026 and detained residents as they emerged. Salgado said agents "were outside just waiting for everyone who was walking out of this building" and took "like six or seven members of our community," including Ordoñez, a church leader of more than 18 years. One account described an agent waiting "with a coffee, picking up everyone who was coming out of the building."
Ordoñez, 58, is originally from Guatemala and has lived in Brooklyn for nearly 20 years. Community leaders and his lawyer, Michael Musa-Obregon, stated he had no criminal record — "not even a traffic ticket" — though his lawyer acknowledged he believed his client was not lawfully present and stressed that "everybody is entitled to due process."
DHS provided a contrary account. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Ordoñez was "an illegal alien from Guatemala who admitted to being illegally in the United States," and that Border Patrol first encountered him in 2000 when he allegedly used the name "Juan Rivera-Barraz" and claimed Mexican citizenship, after which he was removed to Mexico.
Council Member Zhuang said ICE had been in the neighborhood "almost every day" the prior week, detaining primarily blue-collar workers near the New Utrecht Avenue and 18th Avenue subway stations in the early mornings, and stated her office was offering free immigration representation. Clergy and officials held a press conference outside Ordoñez's home demanding his release and an end to the enforcement surge.
Incident Details (as reported)
- Date: Thursday 16 January 2026, early morning
- Location: Apartment building, Bay Ridge Parkway (Bay Parkway), Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
- Detained: ~6–7 residents, including Deacon Sebastian Renoj Ordoñez (58, Guatemalan national)
- Agencies named: ICE / DHS
- Pattern: Reported near-daily ICE presence in Bensonhurst that week; morning stakeouts near New Utrecht & 18th Ave stations
- Disputed facts: Community leaders state no criminal record; DHS alleges prior removal in 2000 under an assumed name ("Juan Rivera-Barraz")
Agents
No agents individually identified in public reporting. To be completed by the Agent Team.
Evidence
- CBS News NY: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/brooklyn-deacon-sebastian-ordonez-detained-ice
- NBC New York: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/brooklyn-deacon-detained-by-ice/6445676/
- PIX11: https://pix11.com/news/local-news/brooklyn-church-leader-detained-by-ice-we-have-to-stand-up-against-this-nonsense/
- Brooklyn Paper: https://www.brooklynpaper.com/bensonhurst-church-leader-arrested-ice/
- Brooklyn Eagle: https://brooklyneagle.com/362796/bensonhurst-church-leader-detained-by-ice-agents/
- The Hill: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5693773-brooklyn-new-york-ice-detainee-criticism/
Internal Notes
- This page was compiled from press reporting and has not been verified. Apply the ICE List two-source standard before changing verification status.
- Strong multi-outlet sourcing already exists — likely promotable to verified after review.
- Name appears in sources variously as "Sebastian Renoj Ordoñez" and "Sebastian Renoj Barreno" — reconcile before publishing.
- The other ~5–6 detained residents are unnamed in sources reviewed — follow up.
- Factual dispute to preserve: community "no criminal record" vs DHS's 2000 prior-removal / assumed-name claim. Do not flatten; source both.