You Chen Yang, a 56-year-old Chinese national and longtime resident of Perry, New York, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on July 14 during what his family believed would be a routine immigration check-in, according to WHAM-TV.
Yang, who owned the Hong Kong Restaurant in Perry, had lived in Wyoming County for 30 years. At the time of his arrest, he was in the process of applying for a green card.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump campaigned on large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants, focusing particularly on those with violent criminal records. Since his return to office in January, his administration has increased immigration enforcement. However, recent polls suggest some Americans are growing wary of the policy as reports emerge that people without criminal records or those with minor offenses are also being detained.
The administration has reported deporting around 100,000 illegal immigrants in the first months of Trump’s second term, with many removals carried out under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798—a measure that has drawn legal challenges and judicial pushback.
What To Know
ICE Buffalo stated that Yang was arrested “pursuant to a warrant of removal issued by an immigration judge in 2002,” noting that he had “remained at large for over 20 years” despite having his due process.
Yang had been maintaining regular contact with immigration authorities through scheduled check-ins and also held a valid work authorization card. His daughter, Elizabeth Yang, told WHAM-TV that her father had recently received approval for the first stage of his green card application.
“He asked his lawyer, and his lawyer was like, ‘Oh, it’s OK because you should be fine,’ because he just recently got approved for the first step in applying for his green card,” she said. “So, he just went in thinking it was going to be OK.”
Yang had stepped away from managing his restaurant nearly a year ago to focus on obtaining legal residency. His attorney had previously assured the family that his immigration progress meant the July 14 appointment would be routine. Instead, his daughter said, the visit ended in shock when officials placed him under arrest.
What People Are Saying
In a statement, ICE Buffalo said: “ICE Buffalo arrested Chinese national You Chen Yang July 14 pursuant to a warrant of removal issued by an immigration judge in 2002. This alien has had his due process and remained at large for over 20 years.”
The agency added: “Under President Trump and DHS Secretary Noem’s leadership, ICE is focused on removing illegal aliens who pose a threat to the security of our communities as well as those who have a final order of removal. Yang is in custody pending execution of his removal from the U.S.”
Elizabeth Yang told WHAM-TV: “The immigration office asks him to come in, or they’ll set up an interview on the phone and just make check in with him every once in a while. So, this time, we thought it was a normal routine check-in.”
What Happens Next?
Yang is currently being held at the ICE detention center in Batavia, New York, while officials move forward with his removal order. His family has been able to stay in touch through phone calls and visits and is working with an attorney to explore legal options.
