News Anchor Turned Dem Staffer Arrested By ICE

A staff member of California Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani was arrested last week by federal immigration authorities during an operation at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, the Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday.

Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative in Stefani’s office who previously worked as a news anchor and reporter at San Francisco’s Chinese-language station KTSF Channel 26, was taken into custody this past Thursday. DHS identified him as a Hong Kong native.

The department stated that Mo entered the country lawfully on a temporary basis and later remained after that period ended. “On January 13, 2020, Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome by failing to depart by May 15, 2020,” a DHS spokesperson told the New York Post. “Work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.”

In a separate statement to the Daily Mail, DHS confirmed that Mo was arrested in a targeted operation. “DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country,” the department added. “Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this. This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.”

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A California Democrat’s staffer has been arrested by federal immigration authorities in Las Vegas, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Former KTSF news anchor Ho-Yin Mo, who now works for California Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani, was taken into custody Thursday… pic.twitter.com/1JA71DTfgX

— Mike Netter (@nettermike) September 22, 2026

An additional source told the Daily Mail that Mo was being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, west of Las Vegas, and was expected to remain in custody pending the outcome of removal proceedings.

Stefani, a Democrat, represents California’s 19th Assembly District, which includes western San Francisco and northern San Mateo County. She served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2018 to 2024 and assumed her Assembly seat in December 2024.

Mo joined Stefani’s staff in January 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously worked as an outreach organizer focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities for then-San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s unsuccessful 2024 reelection campaign.

“When we learned that Mo was available, we immediately saw an opportunity to bring him on board,” Breed spokesman Joe Arellano said at the time. “His visibility through KTSF connects with a broad audience, and his professional background and experience made him a strong fit.”

No public comment from Stefani specifically addressing Mo’s arrest was immediately available. The arrest occurred amid continued federal interior enforcement operations that have included targeted actions at airports following changes in travel screening policies. DHS has said those policies are intended to prevent people without lawful status from traveling domestically except for the purpose of leaving the country.

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