(Inside California Politics) — A California lawmaker is calling for the release of her staffer after he was arrested by ICE agents at a Las Vegas airport. Asm. Catherine Stefani, D-San Francisco, said Tuesday afternoon that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Ho Yin Mo last week on Sept. 17. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrest, which occurred during a targeted operation at Harry Reid International Airport. In a statement, Stefani called for federal officials to release Mo, who she described as a "selfless public servant" and a "valued, legal employee of the California State Legislature," from an immigration detention center in Nevada. "Our whole community eagerly awaits Ho Yin’s return to his home and his job where he is loved and adored," Stefani said. Stanford housing and catering department used AI to change students’ race, gender, weight Supervisor Catherine Stefani is shown during a San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting in San Francisco, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Most people think AI will cause job loss, not growth, according to new survey A DHS spokesperson told KRON4 sister station KTXL that although Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis on Jan. 13, 2020, he "illegally overstayed his welcome" when he remained in the country past May 15 of that year. The DHS spokesperson also said work authorization does not confer legal status in the U.S. "DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country," the DHS spokesperson said. "Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this. This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport." Mo, who previously worked at Chinese-language TV station KTSF, currently works for Stefani as a field representative. Stefani said he brings a "unique sense of belonging" to her Chinese-American constituents, helping people access health coverage, child care and food support. According to DHS, Mo lived in Hong Kong before coming to the U.S. "My message today is simple: I am respectfully calling for Ho Yin Mo’s release as soon as possible," Stefani said. ...read more read less