A couple was detained by ICE without warning at their restaurant in Haddon Township on Tuesday. The couple has been living in the U.S. for decades and are very well known in their South Jersey community. NBC10’s Aaron Baskerville has their story.
UPDATE: ICE released a statement on the arrests. Latest details here.
A husband and wife who own a South Jersey restaurant were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, according to their family members.
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WATCH HEREOn Tuesday, Feb. 25, ICE officers raided Jersey Kebab on 150 Haddon Avenue in Haddon Township, New Jersey, and arrested the restaurant’s owners, Emine and Celal Emanet, according to the couple's son, Muhammed Emanet.
Muhammed Emanet said he showed up to work that morning and found federal agents taking his parents into custody.
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SIGN UP "When I came in realizing that someone had my mother in handcuffs, that's when I knew it was the beginning of what we have envisioned for so long," he said. "I haven't been able to sleep at all throughout the night."
Immigration attorney Joseph Best said he’s been working with the couple for years. He told NBC10 the couple originally came to America from Turkey on visas nearly two decades ago but fell out of status and have been working to obtain it.
“So, we have been working on their case,” Best said. “Eventually they will be able to get status but at this point they were still out of status.”
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Best told NBC10 Celal Emanet was released from custody with an ankle monitor.
"I was shocked and my heart was getting crushed," Celal Emanet told NBC10 on Tuesday. "I was so much nervous. But I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do anything wrong in my life."
His wife remains in custody at an ICE detention center in North Jersey.
“No one in this family has any sort of criminal record. Certainly not the woman who is being detained," Best said. "She is not a risk to public safety. She is not a risk to national security."
Best said his priority is seeking bond for Emine Emanet’s release. Her bond hearing is scheduled for mid-March though the family is hoping to move that date up, according to her son.
The restaurant – the couple’s main source of income – will remain closed until further notice as the legal process plays out.
Haddon Township's mayor Randall W. Teague released a statement to NBC10 in which he wrote about the impact the couple and their restaurant have had on the community.
"Jersey Kabob [sic], a beloved restaurant in our Haddon Township community, has faced a heartbreaking situation that has deeply affected the family and our community. As frequent customers, my wife and I have cherished the restaurant's great food, reasonable prices, and always friendly service. Beyond its culinary offerings, Jersey Kabob [sic] has been a pillar of our community, embodying kindness, generosity, and a commitment to the well-being of our residents. The family's contributions, from participating in Toys for Tots drives to organizing community food drives, have left a lasting impact on our community. We deeply empathize with the family's pain and are committed to doing everything we can to support them during this challenging time. We immediately reached out to Congressman Norcross's office and are diligently following their guidance. Our hearts are filled with sorrow for the family, and pray for a speedy resolution that allows them to become a part of our community once again," Mayor Teague wrote.
New Jersey resident Lori Leonard -- who has eaten at the restaurant -- started a GoFundMe page to help them with expenses.
“This family and this business has been a pillar of the community,” Leonard said. “They serve the elderly. They serve handicapped, homeless people. They give away free meals for people in need.”
The GoFundMe has raised more than $120,000 in less than 24 hours.
“You can tell by the support how they feel,” Leonard said.
Muhammed Emanet said his family is touched by the outpouring of support from customers.
"I just cannot thank the community enough for the support they have given us," he said. "And I just wish that we were judged amongst our peers instead of being judged by other judges who do not personally know us at all."
Muhammed Emanet said if his mother is deported, the family will all leave with her.
NBC10 reached out to ICE for more details but we have not yet heard back from them.
The arrests came amid a nationwide push from President Donald Trump’s administration to detain immigrants who entered the United States without the proper documents.
While the administration vowed to prioritize the “worst first” when it comes to arrests and deportations, the number of detainees in ICE custody without a criminal conviction or pending criminal charges increased by more than 1,800 in the first two weeks of February, representing 41% of the 4,422 total new detainees in that period, according to data obtained by NBC News.
