Latest news with #Celal
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jersey Kebab ICE raid: NJ officials speak out against system that detained couple
The Brief The New Jersey woman detained by immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, or ICE, is home with her family. But the fight to keep her here in the United States continues. HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Two weeks ago, ICE agents raided a Haddon Township restaurant and took a husband and wife out in handcuffs. Both are back home, but their family says they still have a long way to go until the ordeal is over. The backstory Celal and Emine Emanet, owners of Jersey Kebab in Haddon Township, were arrested on February 25, 2025 during an ICE raid. Celal was released with an ankle monitor while Emine was sent to a detention center in Elizabeth. She was released on bond March 12. What they're saying The Emanet family is overwhelmed by the love and support of family, friends and even strangers. Emine said, "I'm so happy! They are my family and they all said welcome home and it touched my heart!" Customer Steve Barton said, "You see it on the news, but you don't think it could happen in somewhere where you live. You don't think that you'd be impacted by it, but I'm so proud of this community." System is broken Ever since they were detained, friends and customers of Jersey Kabob wrote letters on behalf of Celal and Emine to help keep them in this country. They've been waiting for word on their green card application for years, in a system that state and local officials say is broken. "There is a very real difference of a broken immigration system. The border issues we've seen down to the south and what we see behind us today – a huge difference," New Jersey Representative Donald Norcross stated. Mayor Randall Teague said, "I hope there is and there should be a path to citizenship for them. These are the types of people that we want to have in our country and we should be able to have them legally in our country." Dig deeper The couple's 25-year-old son, Muhammed has been shouldering most of the weight of the stressful situation and admits it hasn't been easy, "It hasn't been, I mean, to be honest, until you asked me, I don't really think about how I feel. But, then you know, somebody asks you, like, 'How are you doing?' You just keep moving, day by day." And, Emine couldn't be more proud and then spoke a phrase in Turkish, to which Muhammed translated, loosely, saying, "She said as she was my age, she was always outgoing, very outspoken and not afraid to say anything and always being an independent young woman, so she's like, 'I see my genetics in him.'" What's next Emine was supposed to be in court next week, but her husband's case isn't set for another month. Their attorney is trying to have both of them appear together so they can know their fate at the same time.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Jersey family reunites with mother after ICE raids Jersey Kebab restaurant
The Brief Emine Emanet, 47, has been released from a detention center after ICE officers raided her family-owned business on February 25, 2025. Both Emine and her husband, Celal Emanet, were detained by ICE, but Emine was released on bond weeks after Celal was released. The Emanet family reunited at the detention center in Elizabeth, NJ Wednesday for Emine's release. HADDON TWP., NJ - "Reunited and it feels so good." A South Jersey mother is back with her family after being detained by ICE for more than two weeks. The Haddon Township family says their nightmare is over, for now. What we know It was a joyful reunion for the Emanet family, warmly embracing Emine, who has been in custody at the Elizabeth Detention Center these last two weeks. "I'm so happy now," said Emine Emanet, released from Elizabeth Detention Center. "My heart is very full, happy to say," said Celal Emanet of Jersey Kebab. Her husband Celal and son Muhammed have been fighting for Emine's release since ICE raided their business, Jersey Kebab, in Haddon Township on February 25. Celal was released that day with a GPS ankle monitor, but authorities chose to detain Emine, holding her at the Elizabeth Detention Center in North Jersey. "You know it was tough days. You know we're in trial. Sometimes we are in tough days, sometimes we have good days, so today is a very good day for me," Celal said. The family moved from Turkey to the U.S. in 2008 on a religious worker's visa. Before that expired, Celal applied for a green card, but it was denied three times, and the family has been going through the appeals process since 2016, waiting for a decision. The nonprofit Envision Freedom Fund in Brooklyn paid for Emine's $7,500 bond, and now the couple both have upcoming court hearings to decide their fate in the U.S. "Even though my mom was only in there for two weeks, she said there are others in there who have been in there for months and they have not seen the sun at all, they have not seen the sky at all for this entire time," said Muhammed Emanet, their son. During the interview, Emine spoke in Turkish, expressing her appreciation to the community for standing up for her and her family. "It made her very emotional. It made her—they're truly like our family now. Hugs and kisses to all our community and our neighbors," Muhammed translated. Emine says she'd like to get right back to work at their family-owned business. But first, she will spend quality time with her family. The Source The information in this story is from the Emanet family.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE raids family-owned restaurant in South Jersey, arrests owners
The Brief ICE raided a family-owned Mediterranean restaurant in South Jersey, arresting the owners, a husband and wife. The community is now showing an outpouring of support for Celal and Emine Emanet, raising thousands of dollars on gofundme for legal fees and income. ICE released the husband, Celal, with a GPS ankle monitor, but detained his wife Emine at the Elizabeth Detention Center. HADDON TWP., NJ - Community support is pouring in for the Emanet Family in South Jersey after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers raided their business, Jersey Kebab, in Haddon Township on Tuesday morning. What we know ICE officers placed husband and wife, Celal and Emine Emanet, in handcuffs and said they were being taken in to update their case file. The couple applied for green card status and have been waiting for a decision since 2016. Their request was denied, and the family has been in limbo after submitting an appeal. Celal tells FOX 29 ICE released him with a GPS ankle monitor but detained his wife Emine who's now being held at the Elizabeth Detention Center. As of Wednesday evening, Celal still had not heard from his wife. "When it happened yesterday, I was so sad," said Celal. "She is the main person in our family. Without her we cannot handle this family. What happened. I pay taxes, they can check out my file. I am a very open person, and we have no criminal record." Their oldest son Muhammed Emanet also helps run Jersey Kebab and said he wishes instead of his mother, it was him who was detained at the detention center. "It was kind of like our biggest fear. What might've happened to us and my father had these fears for years and when I woke up yesterday morning and I saw the ICE agents standing outside, I said here it is the nightmare is happening and we are about to go through what we've been waiting to go through," said Muhammed. The family opened Jersey Kebab in 2021 and have always offered food at no cost to those who could not afford it. Many customers stopped by to show their support and express their outrage. "They're just great people. It's great food. It's a travesty what happened to them. Really, I'm disgusted with it and so are a lot of the other neighbors," said customer Nick Sammartino. Lori Leonard started a gofundme campaign for the Emanet family and as of Wednesday evening it has raised over $140,000 and continues to grow. While the family is calling Leonard a friend after she set up the fundraiser, Leonard said she didn't know the family personally and has gotten food from the restaurant before. She felt compelled to support the family during this challenging time. Muhammed recounted the moment ICE officers came to arrest his parents in the video below. "When I woke yesterday morning and saw the ICE agents standing outside the restaurant, I said here it is, the nightmare is happening," said Muhammed. What they're saying Democratic U.S. Representative Donald Norcross said in a statement: "By all accounts, it appears as though Celal and Emine Emanet are upstanding members of our community who came to the United States legally and took every measure necessary to ensure they can remain living here with legal status. "Celal and Emine's case underscores the need to fix our broken immigration system as they have been awaiting a decision on their application for legal permanent residency for almost a decade. As the Trump Administration is blindly cutting critical government functions, we are severely lacking immigration judges so this family and many others can get access to their due process. "The idea that a family can legally come to the United States, run a business, and give back to their local community is the American Dream, and we must create an immigration system that stays true to our American values. My office is in direct contact with the family, and we are reaching out to the appropriate federal agencies." Haddon Township Mayor Randall Teague told FOX 29: "Jersey Kebab, 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 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." Commissioner Ryan Linhart of Haddon Township provided this statement to FOX 29: "The ICE raid on Jersey Kebab was a harmful and performative display of intimidation aimed at an immigrant-owned family business and it is difficult to witness such an injustice, to tear parents away from their children, especially when those parents are actively seeking citizenship. Detaining individuals in good standing, with pending citizenship applications, is a tragic miscarriage of justice that cannot be ignored. The federal agencies responsible for authorizing these detentions should be ashamed of the fear and trauma they are inflicting on families in New Jersey and across the country—particularly in cases where immigrants are contributing positively to society while pursuing legal citizenship. The owners of Jersey Kebab are valued members of our Haddon Township community, we stand with them." The Source The information in this story is from Jersey Kebab owner Celal Emanet, Democratic U.S. Representative Donald Norcross, Haddon Township Mayor Randall Teague, and Commissioner Ryan Linhart of Haddon Township.
