Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton says he was illegally denied entry to the Eloy Detention Center on Friday, where a longtime Valley resident and business owner, Kelly Yu, has been held since May.
Yu, who fled China’s one-child policy more than 20 years ago, was arrested earlier this year during a routine immigration check-in and now faces deportation.
Stanton traveled to the facility south of Phoenix to check on Yu’s well-being and inspect conditions at the site. But despite presenting his credentials, officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) refused to let him in.
He says they cited a new Department of Homeland Security policy requiring seven days’ advance notice.
“The current DHS policy is: You need to ask at least seven days in advance in order to come in and visit a facility, whether you're a member of Congress or not,” Stanton said. “That's in direct contravention of federal law.”
Stanton isn’t the only Arizona lawmaker ICE has blocked from entering the facility. Last week, Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari was also denied access when she tried to visit three detained individuals.
Yu lives in Peoria and owns two restaurants with her husband, Aldo Urquiza. He said their separation has devastated the family.
“She tells me all the time, ‘You guys are the reason why I’m still here. I’m pushing,’” Urquiza said. “I’m like, ‘Well, you’re the reason why we’re pushing for you.’”
"My wife is not a threat to anyone. She’s a loving spouse and a valued member of our family. I am fully committed to supporting her through the process and to ensuring that she complies with all immigration proceedings," Urquiza said
He says her detention has taken an emotional and financial toll on him.
TJ Kagan, a Turkish-American whose wife is being held inside the Eloy facility, said his wife met Yu in detention, and the two women have been supporting each other during what he described as a dehumanizing experience.
Kagan recounted his family’s immigration journey — how he met his wife in 2013, married in 2016 and applied for permanent residency. The couple received tentative approval, but their case was closed due to a past asylum denial from 2012.
Then, on July 12, they were pulled over by multiple unmarked vehicles.
“I felt like a criminal … like one of those drug cartels,” Kagan said. “Ten of them, maybe 15 agents, 5 to 6 different cars. We don’t deserve this treatment.”
Since his wife’s detention, Kagan says he’s been emotionally drained and unable to sleep or work.
Stanton says he will continue to press DHS and ICE for answers.
Bridget Dowd contributed to this story.
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