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ICE detains California assemblymember's staffer
ICE has taken a staffmember of State Assemblymember Catherine Stefani into custody after detaining him at an airport in Las Vegas. The employee is a familiar face in the Bay Area.
LAS VEGAS - ICE has taken a staff employee of California State Assembly Member Catherine Stefani (D-San Francisco) into custody, alleging that her aide is an "illegal alien" from Hong Kong.
The Department of Homeland Security says immigration officials detained Ho-Yin Mo on Thursday at the airport in Las Vegas.
Who is Ho-Yin Mo?
Why you should care:
Ho-Yin Mo is a familiar face in the Bay Area.
On his LinkedIn page, he lists his role as a field representative for Stefani since January 2025. Prior to that, he was a news reporter for KTSF, working twice at the Chinese language news company dating back to March 2022, and working on political campaigns in between.
DHS Statement
What they're saying:
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: "On January 13, 2020, Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome by failing to depart by May 15, 2020. Work authorization or a pending application do not confer legal status in the United States."
USF Law professor explains policy shifts
University of San Francisco immigration law professor Bill Hing says while details in Mo's case are unclear, there is a way for him to appeal through a habeas corpus filing,
"Under the Biden administration, if you had a valid visa application pending before your past visa expired, they would allow you to stay until a decision was made on your second application... The Trump administration is taking a very different position. They feel if your visa expired, and you don't have a valid visa, then you are subject to arrest and detention," Hing said.
"There is a certain amount of success that immigration attorneys have been having with that, especially for somebody who doesn't have a criminal background and that's my understanding that is, so I think ther he'll be released."
The Department of Homeland Security database shows a detainee by the same name being held in the Nevada Southern Detention Center.
Stefani and elected officials’ response
The other side:
Stefani said in a statement that Mo is not violating immigration laws.
"Ho Yin is a selfless public servant and a valued, legal employee of the California State Legislature... Ho Yin helps people access affordable health care coverage, child care, and food support. Our whole community eagerly awaits Ho Yin’s return to his home and his job where he is loved and adored," she wrote.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors also wrote a letter to the immigration court requesting the court grant his release and saying he is an important public servant and member of the community.
Friends say Mo is a kind, hardworking, courteous person.
KTSF staff said they could not comment, but said he had proper documentation and they do not hire anyone who can't legally work in the United States.
The Source: Information from this story came from Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, DHS, professor Bill Hing