- California Assemblymember Catherine Stefani is asking for Ho Yin Mo’s release after I-C-E detained him at Harry Reid Airport.
- D-H-S says Mo entered lawfully on January thirteenth, twenty twenty, and stayed beyond his authorized date to leave.
- All eleven San Francisco supervisors signed a release request, but no release decision is reported.
California Assemblymember Catherine Stefani is demanding the release of staffer Ho Yin Mo, whom ICE detained at Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas on September 17, 2026. Mo is being held in Pahrump, Nevada, as he faces immigration proceedings.
“I am respectfully calling for Ho Yin Mo’s release as soon as possible,” Stefani said. She described him as “a selfless public servant” and “a valued, legal employee of the California State Legislature.”
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE detained Mo during a “targeted enforcement operation.” The department says he entered the United States lawfully on a temporary basis, then stayed beyond the date he was required to leave.
The dispute has prompted calls for his release from elected officials in San Francisco and the Bay Area. They have pointed to his public employment, his community ties and his work with constituents.
San Francisco officials have joined the release campaign
Mayor Daniel Lurie sent a statement to the Las Vegas Immigration Court asking it to weigh Mo’s “longstanding ties to the Bay Area,” his work for the California State Assembly and his service to San Francisco. The statement put local support directly before the court.
Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors also signed a joint letter asking for his release. All 11 supervisors signed, according to reports. San Francisco Supervisor David Canepa and U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin were also reported to support the request.
State Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Matt Haney echoed the calls. The officials’ appeals seek his release from detention; they do not establish that he will be released.
DHS says Mo remained after a temporary admission expired
The department’s account places Mo’s lawful entry on January 13, 2020. It says he was admitted temporarily and should have left by May 15, 2020. DHS says he did not depart by that date.
A spokesperson also said:
“Work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.”
The department has characterized the airport arrest as a targeted operation. Its account of the entry and overstay is the government’s stated basis in the reporting on the case.
The case combines a release request with removal proceedings
Mo is being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump while immigration proceedings move forward. The account from DHS, if correct, would make him removable under immigration law. A request by his employer or local officials does not itself resolve the immigration case.
Release from immigration custody may depend on the immigration judge, whether Mo is eligible for bond and the position DHS takes. The reports describe calls for release, but not a decision granting it.
The research available describes an ICE detention and removal case, rather than a court or Board of Immigration Appeals precedent. The case-specific questions therefore remain tied to his proceedings and the facts presented there.
Mo had served Chinese-speaking constituents and worked in television
Before joining Stefani’s office, Mo worked as a Bay Area television reporter and a KTSF news anchor. In his legislative role, he served as a liaison for Chinese-speaking constituents seeking government services.
Stefani said his work reached San Francisco and Bay Area residents, including Chinese-American constituents who sought help accessing health care, child care and food support. Reports describe him as helping people facing language or cultural barriers when they dealt with government services.
A possible deportation protection has not been confirmed for Mo
One report said Mo may be covered by Deferred Enforced Departure, a protection for eligible Hong Kong residents. The program allows eligible people to work in the United States and protects them from deportation through February 5, 2027. Deferred Enforced Departure is not an immigration status, and the report described Mo’s possible coverage rather than confirming his eligibility.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
