News Anchor Turned Democrat Staffer Arrested by ICE

A staff member for California Democratic Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani was taken into federal immigration custody during an operation at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The Department of Homeland Security identified the staffer as Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative in Stefani’s office and a former television journalist.

Mo previously worked as an anchor and reporter for KTSF Channel 26, a San Francisco-area station serving Chinese-speaking audiences. Federal officials said Mo, who is from Hong Kong, was arrested during an immigration enforcement operation at the airport. According to DHS, Mo originally entered the United States legally on a temporary basis on Jan. 13, 2020.

The agency said his authorized stay expired on May 15, 2020, but that he remained in the country afterward. “Work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States,” a DHS spokesperson said.

Officials characterized the arrest as targeted rather than the result of a random encounter. DHS also said the operation reflected changes in federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump.

The department said it had reversed a Biden-era policy concerning domestic air travel by immigrants who are unlawfully present in the country.

“DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy,” the department said while defending the change.

Federal officials added that the administration intends to prevent immigrants who are unlawfully present from using domestic air travel except when departing the United States.

Mo was reportedly being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump following his arrest. He was expected to remain in federal custody while immigration proceedings moved forward.

Mo joined Stefani’s office in January 2025, according to information cited in the original report. Other public professional records also identify him as a field representative in her office.

Before working for Stefani, Mo was involved in San Francisco politics as an outreach organizer focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

He worked on then-San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s 2024 reelection campaign after his career in television journalism. At the time Mo joined Breed’s operation, spokesman Joe Arellano highlighted the former journalist’s background and community connections.

“When we learned that Mo was available, we immediately saw an opportunity to bring him on board,” Arellano said.

He added that Mo’s visibility through KTSF and his professional experience made him a strong fit for the campaign’s outreach efforts. Stefani represents California’s 19th Assembly District, which covers portions of San Francisco and San Mateo County.

Before entering the state Assembly, she served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2018 through 2024 and took office in the Assembly in December 2024. No public statement from Stefani specifically addressing Mo’s arrest was cited in the initial report.

The case comes as federal immigration authorities continue enforcement actions tied to the Trump administration’s broader changes to interior immigration enforcement and travel screening.