The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has called on California politicians not to release an illegal alien charged with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl at a Sacramento daycare, following a detainer lodged by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Gokhan Bagci, an illegal alien from Turkey, was arrested on August 22, 2025, by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age. The incident reportedly occurred in July 2025 at a daycare where Bagci was employed. Bagci first illegally entered the U.S. on November 21, 2023, was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and subsequently released by the Biden Administration. After flying to Istanbul, Turkey, on December 12, 2023, he illegally re-entered the country on September 17, 2024.
Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis emphasized the severity of the allegations. “This criminal illegal alien is accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl at the daycare where he worked,” Bis said. “He now faces charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. We are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom and his fellow sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this sicko from jail and to cooperate with ICE law enforcement.”
The DHS statement also highlighted numerous other alleged crimes by illegal aliens in California and other states, which it attributed to the state's sanctuary policies and the issuance of Commercial Driver's Licenses by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. These examples included cases of murder, fatal crashes, and drug trafficking, underscoring DHS's concerns about the impact of these policies.