Who are Taahir Shaikh and Ward Sakeik? Texas couple separated after ICE detains bride during honeymoon

Hindustan Times

23-06-2025

A Texas couple, newly married, has spent more than 120 days apart after ICE detained the bride during their honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands. Taahir Shaikh, from Arlington, said his wife, Ward Sakeik, was arrested by ICE in February on St. Thomas, NBC DFW reported. She has a pending green card application and documentation proving she is stateless. Taahir Shaikh, from Arlington and his wife Ward Sakeik has spent more than 120 days apart after ICE detained the bride during their honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands. (Representative image)(Pexels)
'She's considered stateless, which essentially just means you're born in a country that doesn't give you birthright citizenship. And since she was a Palestinian refugee that was born in Saudi Arabia, they weren't recognized as Saudi nationals,' Shaikh said. Sakeik was just eight when her family arrived in the US on a visa. Though their asylum request was denied, she couldn't be deported because she didn't have citizenship. Instead, she was placed under an order of supervision, requiring yearly check-ins with immigration officials.
Sakeik later graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and now works as a wedding photographer. Shaikh said she has followed all immigration rules for 14 years.
She is now at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, after being held in McAllen for months. Her green card application is stalled due to her detention.
The couple has been apart since their wedding, relying on weekly visits and video calls. 'She constantly says, 'When I get through this phase of my life, what am I not able to endure after this?'' Shaikh shared.
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They had chosen the US Virgin Islands for their honeymoon, believing it wouldn't affect her immigration status. Their legal team is working hard to avoid her deportation. Stateless people in removal proceedings are usually eligible for release after 90 days, but Sakeik has been detained for more than 120.
ICE said to NBC DFW: 'The arrest of Ward Sakeik was not part of a targeted operation by ICE. She chose to leave the country and was then flagged by CBP trying to re-enter the US.' 'The facts are she is in our country illegally. She overstayed her visa and has had a final order by an immigration judge for over a decade. President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to restoring integrity to the visa program and ensuring it is not abused to allow aliens a permanent one-way ticket to remain in the US.'
ICE also noted, 'She had a final order of removal since 2011. Her appeal of the final order was dismissed by the Board of Immigration Appeals on February 12, 2014. She has exhausted her due process rights and all of her claims for relief have been denied by the courts.'