Mount Morris, N.Y. (WHAM) — Community members are rallying behind the longtime owner of Chinese restaurant in Mount Morris who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Video posted to social media and shared with 13WHAM shows Dian Zhao Lin being detained and placed into a vehicle by two federal agents. His family and the village’s mayor are among those calling for his release.
Lin’s daughter Yujin spoke with 13WHAM on Wednesday and recalled watching the video.
“Seeing the force and physical attack that the ICE officers were putting on my dad is incredibly devastating and hurtful,” she said.
Yujin, one of six children in the Lin family, said the incident unfolded while her parents were on their way to work on Tuesday. She said her parents immigrated from China and have owned a well-loved restaurant in Mount Morris for more than 20 years. Her father is known in the community as “Mr. Lin.”
“They answered all the questions they had, presented all the identification, whatever they needed,” Yujin said. “And genuinely seeing that video made me and my siblings hurt so much that I do not dare to show my mom knowing that she’s gonna cry.”
Since Lin’s arrest, his wife has kept the restaurant open and has been running it herself. Many longtime customers stopped by to show the family support.
“Seeing her all by herself, knowing that she has a pain inside of her and not having her partner by her side, that breaks my heart,” Jessica Penacora said.
“I’ve watched them just keep a business alive in this village,” Aubrey Gazzetta said. “We lose so much, and they’re so important to us all.”
“The fact that people have been around for this long and have made so many connections with the community and they’re still treated like this is just, it’s awful,” John Hope added.
Mayor Kelly Bacon said the Lin family is a well-known staple in the community.
“The Lin family is a significant, special and treasured part of our community,” she said. “They make us better, and so we are going to do what we can to make sure that continues.”
Bacon said she is working to find the most effective way to bring Lin home.
“This is really difficult for our community,” Bacon said. “For me personally, it is devastating. We’ve known the Lin family for, honestly, as far back as I can remember.”
Yujin Lin said she had 10 minutes to visit with her father at the detention facility in Batavia on Wednesday, and she is hopeful he will be released.
“It was incredibly devastating because the moment we saw each other, we just started sobbing a lot,” Yujin Lin said. “And knowing that my dad rarely cries, it’s incredibly hurtful for me to see him cry, and I was trying to reassure him that everything will be OK. The community is here for him.”
13WHAM has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security but has not heard back. 13WHAM is still looking into what led to Lin’s detention, as well as his current immigration and legal status.
CLICK HERE for an online petition set up for Lin.
