Mount Morris Residents Protest ICE Arrest of Longtime Business Owner
By George Sakers
Sat, October 24, 2026 at 11:13 PM
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People hold up signs during a protest to support longtime local business owner Dian Zhao Lin in Mount Morris, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (Photo by George Sakers/WHAM)
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Dozens of Mount Morris residents took to the streets Saturday to protest the arrest of longtime local business owner Dian Zhao Lin, calling for his release and return home.
Lin was arrested by ICE agents on Tuesday. ICE officials stated he had been in the United States illegally for nearly 30 years.
Among those demonstrating was Lin’s daughter, Yujin Lin, who described her father as the glue that kept the family together.
"I really miss my dad's presence around us. You know, him just being there, even if he's telling me to go wash the dishes, even though I hate doing the dishes. I want to do the dishes for him," Yujin Lin said.
A video captured during the arrest was later posted to social media.
Community members expressed their upset over Lin’s arrest. Lenny Palermo, a Mount Morris community member, said Lin was like a brother to him.
"I've known this family since they've come here. They fed my family almost every week. Because Monica is friends with Izzy here. She calls me Grandpa too. They call me Uncle. Mr. Lin is the hardest working, most valuable person we have in Mount Morris," Palermo said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Lin’s arrest was part of a targeted enforcement operation, citing that he had been in the country illegally for nearly 30 years and was ordered removed by an immigration judge in 1999.
The arrest sparked outrage and calls for Lin’s release, with his family stating it has been difficult to cope without him.
"It has taken a toll on our mental health, our physical health, and it is extremely, extremely hard for us to be able to proceed with life as normal if we do not have my dad next to us. We are not able to be at peace if we are not able to see our dad here," Lin’s daughter said.
The Lin family is asking people to sign a petition demanding Lin’s release. ICE officials stated he will remain in custody pending removal.