Restaurant owner reunites with family after being released from detention center on bond

By Ryan Hughes, Scott Jacobson, Kerri Corrado

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    New Jersey (KYW) — Emine Emanet, a restaurant owner who lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was reunited with her family Wednesday evening after an immigration judge ruled late Tuesday that she could be released on bond.

Her family told CBS News Philadelphia they worked throughout the day to secure the $7,500 bond.

Emine Emanet has been held at a facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, since she was detained on Feb. 25. Her husband, Celal Emanet, was also arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers that day but was released with an ankle monitor. The couple owns and runs Jersey Kebab, a restaurant in Haddon Township.

Family members were waiting for her with flowers outside the Elizabeth Detention Center.

After she was released, Emine Emanet expressed her gratitude for the community’s support and protection in recent weeks.

Her son Muhammad Emanet translated so she could speak to reporters after being released.

“She said being in a space like this, you truly realize the value of everyone around us, whether it’s our family or whether it’s our friends, and the time we have on this earth is very limited,” he said.

“She tried to make the most of her time while in there, looking around the facility and seeing who she can help,” Muhammad Emanet said.

Her son said Emine Emanet was not allowed outside to breathe the fresh air during her detention and that she was traumatized by this experience.

“Today is a very good day for me. My heart is full of happiness,” Celal Emanet said.

Emine Emanet went in front of an immigration judge Tuesday. Letters sent from her neighbors in Haddon Township and other business owners were read aloud during her hearing.

Envision Freedom Fund paid the bond, the New York-based organization said in a statement.

The couple came to the U.S. legally from Turkey in 2008. Celal Emanet said he applied for a green card and their immigration status has been pending since 2016. Emine Emanet has a deportation hearing set for Tuesday, while Celal Emanet’s next hearing is scheduled for May. Their attorney is trying to adjust that so their cases are heard together.

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