On Thursday, the Board of Commissioners and mayors from Haddon Township, Haddonfield, and Collingswood gathered at Jersey Kebab in Haddon Township. They were joined by the Emanet family to express their disapproval of the recent arrest of the restaurant’s owners by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Celal and Emine Emanet were detained on Tuesday, February 25, due to issues with their immigration status. The couple moved to the United States in 2008 on an R1 visa. Before its expiration, Celal applied for a green card. According to him, this application was denied three times, leaving them in a state of uncertainty since 2016.
Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. commented on the situation: “This incident is appalling and an unfortunate example of just how broken the immigration system is here in our country.” He emphasized that “this couple works hard every single day to provide for their four children, grandchildren and to feed the community.” Cappelli stated that they have been left without options regarding their immigration status and called their arrest “unacceptable.”
Cappelli further expressed solidarity with the family: “The Board of Commissioners and the entire Camden County community has come together to support the Emanet family and to say that we will not stand for something like this in our community.”
