Who Is Ho Yin Mo? ICE Detains California Democrat’s Aide at Airport

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a California state legislative staffer at an airport in Las Vegas.

Ho Yin Mo, a field representative for California Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, was taken into custody at Harry Reid International Airport on September 17.

In a statement released on social media, Stefani called for Mo's release, describing him as a "selfless public servant and a valued, legal employee of the California State Legislature."

Mo, who graduated from UC Berkeley in 2020, according to his LinkedIn, previously worked as a news reporter at KTSF, a Chinese-language television station based in San Francisco. He went on to work on local political campaigns, and has been employed by Stefani since January 2025.

A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek in an emailed statement that Mo, from Hong Kong, "lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome by failing to depart by May 15, 2020." The San Francisco Standard said he now faces deportation to Hong Kong.

"Work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States," DHS said.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli, a former Republican assemblyman, wrote on X in response to an article about Mo’s detention: “No one is above the law, not even the California legislature and its staff.”

Mo's detention comes as federal immigration authorities have ramped up arrests at U.S. airports, expanding their focus to people who have overstayed their visas.

DHS told Newsweek: "DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country. Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this. This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport."

The airport arrests come amid a broader increase in ICE enforcement under the Trump administration. ICE arrested 50,925 people in August, according to DHS, the highest monthly total in the agency's history

All members of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors signed a letter calling for Mo's release on Monday.

The supervisors described Mo as an especially important point of contact for San Francisco’s Chinese American community, particularly residents who face language or cultural barriers when interacting with the government.

“We know Ho Yin to be responsible, respectful, and committed to his community. We have no reason to believe that he poses a danger to anyone,” the letter said.

“We respectfully ask that the Court consider his strong ties to San Francisco, his public service, his employment, and his contributions to our city when considering his request for release.”

In her social media post, Stefani also emphasized Mo's effective work for her office, highlighting his ability to connect with Chinese American constituents and helping them access affordable health care coverage, child care and food support.

During his time working for San Francisco Mayor London Breed's 2024 reelection campaign, a Breed spokesperson described Mo as "somewhat of a celebrity with Chinese seniors," saying many recognized him from his television work, Mission Local reported.

San Francisco has one of the largest Chinese American communities among major U.S. cities.