San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie urges a judge to release Ho Yin Mo, a California Assembly aide reportedly detained at Las Vegas airport Sept. 17 and held in Nevada. DHS says Mo overstayed his visa; Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani says he was legally allowed to work.
Mo, 28, has worked as Stefani's field representative since January 2025. Lurie cited Mo's Bay Area ties, Assembly employment and service to San Francisco in his letter; Stefani and the Board of Supervisors also called for his release Tuesday. DHS says he overstayed a temporary visa by failing to leave by May 15, 2020; White House spokesperson Lauren Bis called him an “illegal alien” and criticized the calls. San Francisco's sanctuary policy bars city employees and local law enforcement from taking part in immigration enforcement.
Public records show Mo is being held at Nevada Southern District Detention Center in Pahrump. It remains unclear when he is expected to appear in immigration court or whether he will be deported.
