Community rallies behind South Jersey restaurant owners detained in ICE raid

A South Jersey community is rallying behind a couple after they were detained by ICE agents during a raid at their restaurant.

Celal and Emine Emanet were taken into custody on Tuesday morning after ICE agents raided their family-owned restaurant, the Jersey Kebab, in Haddon Township.

Celal was released from custody and sent home with an ankle bracelet to care for the couple’s 15-year-old son, who has autism, but Emine was placed in the Elizabeth Detention Center in North Jersey.

On Wednesday night, Celal said he could finally speak with his wife on the phone after over 24 hours apart.

“She was crying a lot. It was unbelievable,” he said.

The family said Celal and Emine moved to the United States from Turkey in 2008. At the time, they said their father was given an R1 Religious Workers visa.

Before the visa expired, Celal applied for a green card, but said it was denied several times, which has left their case pending since 2016, family members said.

“They denied one time, and we appealed it. They denied second time, and we appealed,” he said. “And the third time, when we appealed the case, they hold it.”

The couple has four children between the ages of 13 and 25. Their oldest son, Muhammed, said they were never given a deportation order and have been waiting for a decision on their case for nearly a decade.

“They have never in their life got a speeding ticket, traffic ticket, or any crime violations,” Muhammed, said

Together, the couple own and manage the restaurant together and are beloved by the community. They have a sign on the door that reads, “Free to anyone with a disability, homeless, or simply cannot afford it.” 

The restaurant is now closed until further notice, according to a sign in the store’s window.

Meanwhile, the community has taken matters into their own hands by setting up a GoFundMe page to offset living and legal expenses for the couple. As of Thursday morning, the campaign had raised more than $200,000.

The family said Emine was placed in the detention center under her bond hearing on March 18.

“If my mom doesn’t return, if my mom is, god forbid, deported, we cannot stay here,” Muhammed, said.