Outrage after ICE raids family-run kebab shop: “Pillars of community”

A New Jersey community is outraged after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a popular local restaurant and arrested its owners.

Celal and Emine Emanet, who have operated the beloved eatery Jersey Kebab for four years, were taken into custody on Tuesday, leaving their family in shock.

The couple applied for green cards in 2016, but their request was denied. Since then, they have been stuck in legal uncertainty while awaiting their appeal results.

Newsweek reached out to ICE via email for comment.

One of their sons, Muhammed Emanet, shared that his family arrived in the United States in 2008. He said that his father, who also serves as a substitute imam, holds a doctorate in history from Turkey.

“There’s a U.S. Marshal that’s standing outside with a machine gun, and he looks at me, said no, no, no, don’t come in here, and I said I work here. So when I came in, they had my dad sitting down in a chair and a female officer already handcuffed my mom from the back,” Emanet told CBS News.

While Celal has since been released with an ankle monitor, his wife, Emine, remains in ICE custody at the Elizabeth Detention Center.

“When it happened yesterday, I was so sad,” Celal told Fox 29 Philadelphia. “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.”

The raid has been met with widespread anger, with many residents questioning why agents had targeted the pair, who were described as “contributing members of society” on a GoFundMe page set up to help cover legal costs and business expenses while it remains shuttered. Over $240,000 had been raised as of Thursday afternoon.

“Haddon Township values community above all, and the Emanets are cornerstones of that sentiment,” Steve Barton, a regular at the kebab shop who moved to Haddon Township four years ago, told Newsweek.

“They always go above and beyond for us. I cannot think of many establishments who would give away their product on a daily basis for the well-being of the less fortunate. If that doesn’t scream America and Americans to anyone, then I don’t know what could. My family and I are proud to call them neighbors.”

Barton said the couple’s arrest showed how broken the U.S. immigration system was if their application for permanent residence was still pending nearly 10 years after it was submitted.

“That fact alone should have stopped them from being taken. They’re taxpayers and pillars of the community,” he added.

The Emanets’ case is one of multiple stories being told of immigrants with no reported criminal records being detained by ICE agents as efforts to detain those without legal status have ramped up over the past month.

President Donald Trump ran for reelection on a promise of mass deportations of illegal immigrants, promising upward of 11 million removals. Since January 20, 20,000 immigrants have been arrested, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday. The majority, DHS said, are known criminals.

Haddon Township Mayor Randall W. Teague also voiced his support for the family, calling their detainment “heartbreaking.”

“As frequent customers, my wife and I have cherished the restaurant’s great food, reasonable prices, and always friendly service,” Teague told Newsweek in a statement.

“Beyond its culinary offerings, Jersey Kebab has been a pillar of our community, embodying kindness, generosity, and a commitment to the well-being of our residents,” he added.

Teague noted that the family has played an active role in local charitable efforts, including organizing food drives and participating in Toys for Tots campaigns.

“We deeply empathize with the family’s pain and are committed to doing everything we can to support them during this challenging time,” the mayor added. “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.”