ICE Arrests California Democratic Lawmaker’s Staffer At Vegas Airport

Federal officials are defending the immigration arrest of a California Democratic lawmaker’s employee, rejecting the argument that his work authorization and government position shield him from enforcement.

Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative for Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani, remains in federal custody after agents arrested him Sept. 17 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The Department of Homeland Security described the arrest as a targeted operation.

Mo, a Hong Kong native who previously worked as a television journalist in San Francisco, was taken to the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump.

DHS says he entered the United States legally on Jan. 13, 2020, but stayed beyond May 15, 2020, when his authorized admission expired.

“Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome,” DHS said.

The department also pushed back against suggestions that Mo’s permission to work for the California Legislature resolved questions about his immigration status.

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

Mo’s attorney, Kevin Lo, told the San Francisco Chronicle that his client applied for asylum in 2023 and is still awaiting a decision. According to Lo, Mo holds a valid employment authorization document permitting him to work legally while that application is considered.

Those circumstances are central to the disagreement. Permission to work and immigration status are separate matters, and a pending application can allow an individual to obtain employment authorization without resolving the underlying immigration case.

Mo has not been publicly accused of a criminal offense connected to the airport arrest. His detention concerns an alleged immigration violation and resulting removal proceedings.

Stefani has urged federal authorities to release him, emphasizing his service to constituents and his ties to the community.

“My message today is simple: I am respectfully calling for Ho Yin Mo’s release as soon as possible,” she said.

The assemblywoman described Mo as a valued district employee who helps residents obtain health coverage, child care, food assistance and other government services. He also works as a liaison to Chinese-American communities in her district.

“Our whole community eagerly awaits Ho Yin’s return to his home and his job where he is loved and adored,” Stefani said.

Mo began working in Stefani’s district office in January 2025. His earlier political work included Asian American and Pacific Islander outreach for former San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s unsuccessful 2024 reelection campaign.

Before entering politics, he was an anchor and reporter for KTSF Channel 26, the Chinese-language television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. That work made him familiar to many Chinese-speaking viewers in the region.

Stefani represents California’s 19th Assembly District, covering western San Francisco and northern San Mateo County. She served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2018 until entering the Assembly in 2024.

Federal officials have stressed that employment in a legislative office does not create an exemption from immigration law.

“No one is above the law, not even the California legislature and its staff,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on social media after the arrest.

His response reflects the administration’s position that enforcement must apply consistently, including when an individual has influential political supporters.

DHS also placed the arrest within President Donald Trump’s broader effort to expand immigration enforcement at airports. The department says the administration has reversed policies that permitted some people without lawful immigration status to travel domestically while their cases remained unresolved.

“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,” DHS said.

Separately, the Transportation Security Administration has tightened identification requirements for certain travelers who lack conventional identification documents, as federal agencies increase their cooperation on immigration enforcement.

Mo’s case now brings that policy dispute directly into a California lawmaker’s office.

Stefani points to his valid work authorization, pending asylum application and assistance to constituents as reasons for his release. Federal officials maintain that those circumstances do not erase the alleged overstay or prevent immigration authorities from pursuing removal proceedings.

His asylum claim remains unresolved, and he remains in custody as elected officials press for his return.