After spending eight months in an immigrant detention facility, Jian Hao Zhang, the owner of a Chinese restaurant in the small town of Camden in Oneida County, northern New York, has recently been released and reunited with his family. The town, with a population of about 2,100 people, was filled with relief and welcome upon hearing the news. Neighbors expressed their anticipation for his soon reopening of the long-established “China Moon” restaurant.
According to local media reports from wktv and Syracuse, the 56-year-old Jian Hao Zhang had been running the Chinese restaurant in Camden with his wife for many years. In July last year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers raided the restaurant and took him to the detention center in Batavia. Local residents recalled seeing him being taken away in a black SUV, while his family stood by the parking lot, a scene that shocked many. An ICE spokesperson stated that Zhang had entered the country in 1990 with a fake visa and was ordered by a New York immigration judge in 1999 to leave by July 2000, but he failed to do so, making him subject to a final deportation order.
During Zhang’s detention, the community swiftly took action by sending 150 letters of support, and local elected officials also called for his return home. Now that he has finally returned, the neighbors are expressing their joy. Nearby businesses reported seeing Zhang back in the restaurant preparing to reopen, looking in good spirits. Residents mentioned that China Moon’s dishes are fresh and delicious, a daily choice for the town over the years, with everyone eagerly waiting for its reopening.
For many years, Zhang’s restaurant operated six days a week until late, with the hardworking couple often working while their children did homework in the restaurant. Neighbors described it as a “typical American dream scene.” Barber Mikey Merritt said the community liked this family, stating, “They don’t cause trouble, nor do they disturb anyone.” Mayor Jeffrey Oatman had previously said, “We lost a pretty nice and upright villager, which is saddening.”
Residents noted that China Moon, which has been operating quietly and sponsoring local sports teams for years, has long been a part of the community. The official reopening date of China Moon is yet to be announced, but the neighborhood is already prepared to queue up once again to patronize the restaurant.