California Lawmaker's Staffer Arrested by ICE for Overstaying Visa
Ho-Yin Mo, who works for Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani, was detained in Las Vegas after allegedly overstaying his visa from Hong Kong.
A staffer for California Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for allegedly overstaying his visa. Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative for Stefani, was detained last Thursday during an ICE operation at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
Homeland Security confirmed to the Daily Mail that Mo, described as an "illegal alien from Hong Kong," was arrested during a targeted enforcement operation. According to the agency, Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis in January 2020 but failed to depart by May 15, 2020, thus overstaying his welcome.
"Work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States," the agency stated.
Mo is a former news anchor and reporter for KTSF Channel 26, a Chinese-language television station based in San Francisco. He also worked as an outreach organizer for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community for London Breed's mayoral re-election campaign in 2024.
Mo had been employed by Stefani since January 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile. Stefani, a Democrat, has previously been a vocal critic of ICE's immigration enforcement tactics.
In an October article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Stefani criticized an ICE crackdown in the Bay Area, characterizing it as an abuse of power and a threat to the community. She was quoted as saying, "It is about fear and control. We must remain peaceful, united and vigilant. This administration wants chaos. We will answer with strength, solidarity and resolve."
According to a source, Mo is being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, west of Las Vegas, and is expected to remain in custody pending the outcome of removal proceedings.
The Department of Homeland Security commented on Mo's arrest, stating, "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."
Frankie Falzon, a district director for Stefani, told the Daily Mail that they had been "advised by legal counsel that it would not be in his interest to talk at this time." He added, "We're trying to work through as many channels as possible now. That could change at some point."