A 65-year-old restaurant owner from Collingswood, New Jersey, is being detained at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark after a routine check-in with immigration officials. Iemad Saifo, the owner, was taken into custody on July 31, according to his children, Zena and Tarek Saifo.

Background

Saifo came to the United States from Syria in 2002 on a B1/B2 visa and has been working with lawyers to attain status. However, his path to citizenship has been pending for years. His children and wife have already obtained status in the U.S.

Saifo’s family has been in contact with him since his detention and reports that he is in good spirits. They are working to get him released on bond and have launched an online petition, which has gathered over 4,000 signatures.

Immigration Statement

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a statement saying that Saifo is a criminal illegal alien from Syria who was convicted of witness tampering in 2018. ICE encouraged all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App, offering $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport.

Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.