A Chinese immigrant, Fei Zhen, and his young son, Yuanxing, experienced a separation during an attempt by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport them in New York City. This incident reportedly occurred after an immigration hearing at 26 Federal Plaza on November 26, where Fei was taken into custody, according to community advocates.
“He was just following the rules, you know? He thought he was doing what was expected for his check-in,” recounted activist Jenny Spector, referring to the situation involving Fei.
Fei, who is said to be seeking asylum, was placed in a detention center in Orange County, while the whereabouts of his son remained unclear.
Queens City Council Member Julie Wong assured that the child was safe and had access to legal representation.
Federal authorities, however, stated that Fei was responsible for his own detainment, claiming he “refused” to board the deportation flight with his son.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, asserted that he had the option to leave the U.S. with the boy but “intentionally chose not to.” She went further, alleging that Fei’s refusal to comply and his behavior created health risks for his child, even accusing him of trying to abandon his son.
Spector shared her impression after speaking to Fei while he was incarcerated, saying, “He seemed to be putting on a brave face, but you could tell he was struggling… sometimes he was in tears, especially since he didn’t know where his son was—or if he was okay.”
This family’s ordeal has spurred protests among progressive lawmakers in New York City, including Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani, who pointed out that Yuanxing had just started first grade. “Now he’s in custody alone, and ICE hasn’t mentioned where he is. This kind of brutality is unacceptable,” he expressed.
Despite the outcry, McLaughlin defended ICE, claiming the agency does not operate on a premise of family separation and follows standard procedures, where parents are asked if they want to leave with their kids.
McLaughlin also suggested that similar consequences happen when U.S. citizens do not comply with law enforcement, stating that children would be safely detained if there was a failure to follow commands. There was no immediate response from federal officials regarding the broader implications of this incident.
