(PEORIA, ARIZONA) Kelly Yu, a longtime small-business owner in Peoria, is facing deportation to China after more than 21 years in the United States without legal status. The restaurant operator was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on May 28, 2025, and is being held at the Eloy Detention Center south of Phoenix. Yu’s case, which stems from a removal order issued in 2005 and a final appeal dismissed in 2016, has drawn support from Arizona lawmakers and renewed debate over how the immigration system treats people with deep community ties and no criminal record.
Yu fled China as a pregnant 18-year-old seeking asylum due to the country’s one-child policy. She later built Kawaii Sushi and Asian Cuisine into a popular local business with two locations and a third opening soon, employing 30 people. Her daughter, Zita, is a U.S. citizen and a college student. Despite those ties, her asylum was denied in 2004, and she has lived under a final removal order ever since.
Key facts (brief)
- Detained: May 28, 2025, during an ICE check-in
- Where held: Eloy Detention Center
- Status: Final removal order since 2005; appeal dismissed in 2016
- Record: No criminal history; compliant with ICE check-ins
- Family: Husband Aldo Urquiza; U.S.-born daughter Zita
- Business: Kawaii Sushi and Asian Cuisine in Peoria; 30 employees
- Outlook: Deportation called “imminent” by family
Her husband, Aldo Urquiza, says the family has “lost faith” that her deportation can be stopped and is preparing for the likelihood of her return to China, a country Yu has not lived in for decades. The family says only presidential action could halt the removal at this stage, and they view that as unlikely.
Detention and legal history
Yu’s case follows a pattern seen in other immigration matters: an asylum denial, a final removal order, and years of routine immigration check-ins.
- Her asylum was denied in 2004.
- A removal order was issued in 2005.
- A final appeal was dismissed in 2016.
According to the family, she continued to follow all rules and had no criminal record. Despite that record of compliance, ICE detained her during a routine check-in in late May, and she has remained at the Eloy Detention Center since then.
Lawmakers’ involvement and possible legal pathways
Arizona’s U.S. Senators, Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, have engaged directly with the family and the case.
- Senator Gallego has met with the family and publicly criticized what he calls a broken system, arguing it wastes taxpayer money to detain and deport long-settled residents who run businesses, pay taxes, and raise U.S. citizen children.
- Senator Kelly visited Yu at the detention center and highlighted that she could be eligible for adjustment of status through marriage, even while in detention. The adjustment pathway is a recognized process explained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on its official page: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/adjustment-of-status.
Each case depends on its facts and legal hurdles, and Yu’s timeline is long and final. As of August 2025, advocates say the outcome remains uncertain unless there is executive or judicial intervention.
Political pressure and community impact
The public reaction in Peoria has been strong, reflecting Yu’s role as an employer and local figure.
- Staff face uncertainty over payroll, scheduling, and the planned opening of a third restaurant.
- Regular customers have organized support, pointing to her long residence and steady record of following immigration rules.
- Her daughter, a U.S. citizen preparing for college, faces immediate and personal consequences from the possible separation.
Senator Gallego has argued that enforcement can feel detached from community realities and criticized the cost of detaining people who are neither flight risks nor public safety threats. Senator Kelly emphasized treating individuals with dignity while following the law. Both senators describe the system as “broken” and call for long-delayed reform—changes Congress has not enacted across multiple administrations.
Lawmakers and advocates also point to what they describe as enforcement quotas within ICE under President Biden, contending that such targets, if used, drive actions that may not consider humanitarian factors or long-term community ties. ICE has not announced a policy change affecting Yu’s case, and her detention continues as her husband prepares for next steps.
Legal realities and avenues
The central legal fact is that a final removal order significantly narrows available options.
Common responses families pursue include:
1. Seeking legal counsel to review potential motions or relief options.
2. Exploring family-based immigration pathways (e.g., marriage-based adjustment of status), noting such processes depend on eligibility and may be complex from detention.
3. Requesting intervention from elected officials or executive clemency—rare and often unlikely.
Supporters note Yu’s years of compliance and community ties and question whether detention at this stage serves the public interest. Analysis by VisaVerge.com highlights the gap between long-term community ties and pending removal orders, leaving families and employers in ongoing uncertainty.
Important: With a final removal order in place, relief without executive or judicial intervention is limited. Families in similar situations should consult experienced immigration counsel promptly.
Current outlook and next steps
Timing is the urgent issue. Her husband says deportation is imminent, and the family is organizing finances, business leadership, and schooling plans should Yu be put on a flight to China.
- The Eloy Detention Center houses people awaiting immigration proceedings or removal; conditions and access can vary.
- Lawmakers and families have pressed for humane treatment and timely communication, particularly when detainees have U.S.-born children.
- Senator Kelly’s visit underscores elected officials’ attention, but it has not halted the removal plan.
Yu’s case is a clear example of the human dimensions of immigration enforcement in Arizona: workers and customers face disruption, a college student contends with family separation, and an employer with no criminal record confronts deportation under a decades-old order. Supporters view the situation as senseless; critics of reform insist enforcement must proceed regardless of years spent in the country. Both perspectives converge on a narrow, time-sensitive window where federal authorities will likely determine the next move.
How to follow or get help
- Constituents seeking help or updates have been encouraged to contact Senator Ruben Gallego’s office or Senator Mark Kelly’s office; both remain engaged with the family.
- For general information on marriage-based adjustment options, see the USCIS page: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/adjustment-of-status.
No new policy has been announced that would alter the removal order as of the latest reports. The family continues to prepare for the possibility of deportation while seeking any available legal or political relief.
This Article in a Nutshell
Peoria restaurateur Kelly Yu, detained May 28, 2025, faces deportation despite 21 years of community ties, two restaurants and a U.S. citizen daughter.
