San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is the latest voice calling on the federal government to release a Democratic staffer who was recently taken into immigration custody.
On Tuesday, California's 19th District Representative Catherine Stefani and the entire San Francisco Board of Supervisors
called for the release of the staffer, Ho Yin Mo, 28, who has served as the Assemblywoman's field representative since January 2025.Mo was reportedly detained on September 17 by immigration enforcement agents while traveling through Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to the San Francisco Standard. Public records show Mo is currently being held at the Nevada Southern District Detention Center in Pahrump, Nevada.
"Ho Yin has lived in the San
Francisco Bay Area for years and has developed a strong network here. He is a contributing member of society, and I do not believe he poses a danger or threat to anyone," Lurie's letter to an immigration judge reads.
"I respectfully ask the Court to consider Ho Yin's longstanding ties to the Bay Area, his employment with the California State Assembly, his service to San Francisco and the many people who rely on him when considering his request for release."
Although originally from Hong Kong, Mo has spent nearly a decade in the Bay Area, first attending the University of California, Berkeley, before becoming a News Reporter for KTSF, one of the largest Chinese-language news stations in the United States. In 2025, Mo transitioned from news to join Assemblywoman Stefani's team.
In her letter to the immigration judge, Stefani offers her support for Mo and notes that he was legally allowed to work in the country and in her office.
However, the Trump administration pushed back on his legal status, claiming that Mo had illegally overstayed his temporary visa "by failing to depart by May 15, 2020," according to DHS.
Lauren Bis, a White House spokesperson, doubled down on the claim that Mo was "an illegal alien" and criticized city leadership for supporting the release of Mo.
‘This takes sanctuary city to a whole new level. Radical Democrats continue to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens - even employing illegal aliens to work in their political offices," Bis added.
Notably, San Francisco's sanctuary policy specifically prohibits city employees and local law enforcement agencies from taking part in immigration enforcement activities.
It's unclear when Mo is expected to appear in immigration court or whether he will be deported, even as city leaders and representatives call for his release.
"Ho Yin's absence is deeply felt by the residents, organization, and public servants who rely on him. San Francisco needs dedicated public servants like Ho Yin back in the community, continuing the important work of helping residents and strengthening connections between government and the people it serves," reads the Board of Supervisors' letter.
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Francisco Mayor calls on feds to release CA assemblymember staffer
