He owns a well-known Asian eatery in Somerset County and is familiar to locals through his distinctive moniker, Sushi John.
However, to U.S. immigration officials, he admitted being an agent for the Chinese government.
A month ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement took into custody Ming Xi Zhang, who is 61 years old and owns Ya Ya Noodles in Montgomery Township. He continues to be held by ICE as his immigration case proceeds.
When disclosing Zhang’s detainment, ICE referred to his admission of guilt from four years prior regarding a federal accusation of operating as an unregistered foreign agent for China, a situation under which he still remains on probation.
"ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris stated that any unauthorized individual involved in espionage, sabotage, or export control violations against the U.S. faces deportation," he said. news release .
The detention occurs as part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s contentious immigration enforcement efforts, which have pledged to carry out the biggest deportations drive in U.S. history.
Zhang was apprehended in Newark on March 24, according to ICE. His daughter, Emily Zhang, stated that her father was detained after showing up for an appointment requested by the authorities.
"We're all just sort of hoping and waiting for bonds, parole, or anything else," Emily Zhang, a U.S. citizen, stated over the phone on Thursday from her father’s restaurant located in the Montgomery Shopping Center along Route 206.
The daughter mentioned that customers have shown support for Zhang, who purchased the restaurant approximately 10 to 15 years back. She chose not to go into specifics about her father’s situation, though she did mention that he was granted probation.
"People have been arriving, sharing their telephone numbers and inquiring about ways they can assist," Emily Zhang mentioned.
As per documents from a federal court, the senior Mr. Zhang received a sentence in April 2024 consisting of three years' probation and a fine of $10,000 imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp. This brought an end to legal proceedings that involved accusations stretching back almost ten years.
The accusation related to a foreign agent began in April 2016, when Zhang had several meetings in the Bahamas with officials from China’s Ministry of State Security, as stated in his written plea deal.
The agents guided Zhang to acquire $35,000 and hand it over to an unnamed "individual." One month afterward, Zhang followed through with this directive during a rendezvous in Skillman, which is part of the Montgomery area near his eatery.
Zhang likewise acknowledged having hosted an agent of the Chinese government at his Princeton residence two times that autumn.
The court documents provided limited additional information and did not indicate if anyone else faced prosecution. These records demonstrate that Zhang worked with law enforcement, chose to waive his right to an indictment, and pleaded guilty in May 2021, approximately one month following the filing of the accusations.
He remained free on an unsecured bond during his entire criminal proceedings.
The lawyer representing him, Robert Hazzard from Flushing, New York, did not respond to requests for comment.
Emily Zhang said her father had been following the terms of his probation and had not gotten into trouble again. She said he is being held at the Elizabeth Detention Center in Essex County and is doing “good” considering the circumstances.
As per ICE, Zhang entered the United States lawfully in June 2000, however he "breached the conditions of his legal entry."
An ICE representative offered no further details regarding the situation surrounding Zhang’s detainment, stating merely that their agency "apprehends individuals who violate U.S. immigration laws with the aim of maintaining the integrity of our immigration framework and enhancing public security."
Following Trump’s inauguration, ICE has intensified immigration enforcement efforts, leading to frequent controversies in New Jersey. This escalation encompasses the detention of individuals. a Flemington father initially from Egypt, and the married owners from a kebab restaurant located in Haddon Township.
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Riley Yates can be contacted at ryates@njadvancemedia.com .
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