Phoenix business owner's six-month detention sparks bipartisan outcry for release

Kelly Yu, a Phoenix-area business owner, has spent the last six months in detention while facing deportation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security classifies her as an illegal immigrant from Hong Kong, despite her two decades of residency in America. Now, lawmakers from both parties are pushing for her release, calling her a valued member of the community. Yu arrived in the U.S. over 20 years ago and has lived in Arizona ever since. She runs several restaurants with her husband, Aldo Urquiza, an American citizen. Their daughter, Zita Yu, attends college while also working at the family businesses.

Yu has no criminal record, yet she received a final deportation order in 2005. China’s refusal to issue travel documents has kept her in legal limbo. Since February, she has been held in detention, awaiting a resolution. Republican Lisa Everett and Democrat Brent Peak are now advocating for her release. Peak is using the *Zadvydas v. Davis* Supreme Court ruling, which limits indefinite detention for deportable immigrants. Everett has partnered with Peak, arguing that Yu’s long-standing ties to the community and her family’s reliance on her justify her freedom.

Yu’s case has drawn widespread support from Arizonans, including both Republicans and Democrats. They highlight her contributions as a responsible business owner and respected neighbour. Her family continues to run their restaurants while awaiting a decision on her future.