Owner of successful Peoria sushi restaurant faces deportation
Detained Peoria restaurant owner faces deportation to Hong Kong
The owner of a successful Peoria sushi restaurant, who has lived in the U.S. for more than two decades without legal status, is facing deportation to Hong Kong within weeks. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas has more on this story.
PEORIA, Ariz. - The owner of a successful Peoria sushi restaurant, who has lived in the U.S. for more than two decades without legal status, is facing deportation to Hong Kong within weeks.
What we know:
Kelly Yu was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 28 and has been held at the Eloy Detention Center.
Her husband, Aldo, said she came to the U.S. when she was 19 and pregnant, seeking a better life and trying to escape China's one-child policy.
"She came here 21 years ago," Aldo said Monday, Aug. 11.
Homeland Security Investigations confirmed Yu had entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2004 and was ordered to be removed in 2005. She pursued several appeals that were all denied, with her final appeal dismissed in 2016.
Yu has no criminal record, employs 30 people and has a daughter who is a U.S. citizen.
"She's a hard worker, dedicated, loveable, funny," her husband said.
'I wasn't allowed to say bye'
Aldo described her detention, saying, "As soon as she went into the office, I didn't even get a chance to sit down on the bench. When they opened the door, there were maybe 6, 7, 10 agents surrounding her and cuffed her in front of me. I wasn't allowed to say bye. She gave me her ring, and I put it on my pinky and that's it."
Both local political groups, Northwest Valley Indivisible and the GOP Chair of Legislative District 29, have voiced support for Yu.
"I feel it's important to get involved because I do not believe she is one of the worst of the worst," said Lisa Everett, the GOP Chair of Legislative District 29.
Brent Peak, co-chair of Northwest Valley Indivisible, added, "She has been in the country for 20 years. There's no criminal record. She has a child who was born here and is a citizen. She's built a successful business; she has given back to the community. She is the kind of person we would want in our community."
Dig deeper:
Aldo and Yu's daughter, Zita Yu, met with Sen. Ruben Gallego on Tuesday, Aug. 12, to plead his wife's case.
Some Arizona lawmakers say detaining people like Yu wastes taxpayer money and doesn't make the country safer. Gallego says Yu's situation is a perfect example of a broken immigration system.
"The fact that this administration has prioritized arbitrary quotas instead of a humane process of dealing with illegal immigration," Gallego said.
Gallego said a quota system is driving ICE agents to detain non-criminal immigrants, despite President Donald Trump's campaign promise to focus on violent and drug-dealing offenders.
The senator's comments come after two people were reportedly detained outside Roosevelt Elementary School last week as children were arriving for class.
Sen. Gallego meets with family of businesswoman facing deportation
Peoria restaurant owner Kelly Yu, who has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, faces deportation. After meeting with her family, Sen. Ruben Gallego called it an example of a broken immigration system. FOX 10's Ashlie Rodriguez has the details.
State Sen. Analise Ortiz (LD-24), said the detentions are unprecedented.
"ICE is going after United States citizens, green card holders, dreamers," Ortiz said.
FOX 10 reached out to Arizona's Republican leadership for comment on Yu's situation but did not hear back.
However, state Rep. John Gillette (D-30), posted on social media in July about Yu, saying, "How did she start a business as an illegal? She couldn't find 1 day in 21 years to get straightened out ... Deportation is in order. There are many in line waiting and immigrating lawfully."
Gallego said the country loses when people like Yu are deported.
"If you want to talk about people that have criminal records, that have criminal histories, people that are in this country illegally will tell you, they want those people out too," he said. "But we're not safer by kicking out the type of people who start restaurants like this."