Jersey Kebab Owner Faces Possible Deportation Over Visa Overstay Accusation

Turkish-origin owner of Jersey Kebab faces possible deportation on the accusation of visa overstay since 2014.

26-year-old Muhammad Emanet may face deportation to Turkey and the US government may ask him to apply for a Green Card from his own country -- a new proposal that created a stir among visa holders. Emanet runs Jersey Kebab, a kebab store in Collingswood specializing in shawarma, falafel wraps and baklava. The kebab shop came in the news when Emanet's parents were picked up by the Trump administration last year, saying that their visa expired. The family already applied for Green Cards, but the applications were pending.

Emanet family in the US

Muhammad's father Celal Emanet, 52, first came to the US in 2000 to learn English while he pursued his doctorate in Islamic history at a Turkish university. He returned in 2008 to serve as an imam at a southern New Jersey mosque, bringing Emine and their first two children came, too. Two more children were later born in the US. Muhammad was not born in the US. Their visas were set to expire in 2014. And they filed for Green Cards in 2013. That applciation did not move. During the pandemic, the Emanet family opened Jersey Kebab in Haddon Township. After the Emanet couple was detained, Celal was sent home with an ankle monitor but Emine was moved to a detention facility and was held there for 15 days. The shop had to be closed temporarily as Emine was the main cook. Locals rallied behind the Emanets and raised $300,000 to keep the business open. The location of the kebab shop has changed and now Muhammad is the CEO of the business. And he is on the radar. His deportation hearing is on July 2 and he has a week to prove to the government that he needs to stay in the US.

'They are asking me why we didn't deport in 2014, I was 15'

Muhammad said the administration is accusing them of overstaying their visa after 2014. "I'm trying to tell them we were already in another court case. So why would we deport? And I was 15 years old at that time. I didn't have control of my family deporting," Muhammad said adding that if he's now deported to Turkey on the grounds that his visa expired 10 years ago, he would not be able to come back to the US for 10 years. "I just try to be as optimistic as I can be about it man because as long as we’re living and breathing, you know there’s hope and I’m very hopeful that you know the truth will prevail one way or another," said Emanet. "No matter if you do everything right in the proper way it can all still be taken away that easily." Emanet said the South Jersey community has supported his family. "They were very gracious enough to us and their hearts and let us know that we don’t care what anybody else might say about you on your status or your immigration status. We see you as real human beings and that’s the kind of relationships that we built with people," he said. While Emanet’s case is set for a decision on July 2, his father’s case is scheduled for December and his mother’s for April of next year.

Muhammad's father said moving to Turkey would create big problems

Last year, Muhammad's father said moving back to Turkey would be bad for his younger children as they don’t speak Turkish, and one is autistic and needs the help available in the US. He also said his academic articles criticize the government in Turkey. “I am in opposition to the Turkish government,” he said. “If they deport me, I am going to get very big problems.”