ICE agents seized Ho‑Yin Mo at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Thursday, citing the expiration of his temporary stay in May 2020 after he entered the country in January 2020.
Mo, a Hong Kong native, had worked as a field representative for Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani since January 2025, after a stint as a news anchor and reporter for San Francisco’s KTSF Channel 26. He also helped London Breed’s 2024 re‑election campaign, focusing on outreach to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
The Department of Homeland Security warned that "work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States," underscoring the legal basis for the arrest.
Stefani’s office, advised by legal counsel, declined to release details publicly, with district director Frankie Falzon telling the Daily Mail that the team was "trying to work through as many channels as possible".
Mo is currently held at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, pending removal proceedings that will determine whether he will be deported or granted a different status. The outcome will hinge on the court’s review of his visa overstay and any potential appeals.
This arrest comes amid growing scrutiny of ICE operations and the broader debate over immigration enforcement, a policy area that Stefani has long criticized as overly harsh toward immigrants.