Hi everyone,

As many of you already know, my dad, also known as Sushi John, was unexpectedly detained by ICE on March 24, 2025. He has remained in detention since then while his case continues, and we do not have a definite answer for when he will return home.

When this happened, I was in the middle of a college class when I received the call from my dad and immediately rushed home. Since that day, I have been the only person taking care of all business and personal finances/affairs. I have not been able to return to school since then. I was able to keep his restaurant running for about two months into his detention, but we made the difficult decision to temporarily close in May so I could focus on my dad’s situation and everything else that needed to be handled. Since closing, I have continued paying rent so that we can hold onto the restaurant and reopen when my dad is able to come home.

Over the past year, I have been doing my best to manage everything on my own. This includes extensive lawyer fees, the restaurant expenses (rent, utilities, maintenance), as well as our household bills (water, gas, electric, mortgage). Up until now, I have been able to keep things running using money from our bank accounts, savings, and help from close friends. Unfortunately, the bills have started to pile up and it has become far too difficult for me to keep up with everything on my own.

Starting this fundraiser was not an easy decision for us. My dad and I have thought about it a lot, but at this point, we feel that reaching out to our community for help is the best step forward. Numerous people have reached out over the past year asking how they can support us and we are deeply grateful for that kindness. This fundraiser is simply a way for anyone who would like to help our family during this difficult time to do so if they feel comfortable.

Any money raised will go toward:

Any donations are greatly appreciated. If you are not in a position to give, sharing this page would still mean so much to us and helps more than you know. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would prefer to support us directly.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for the kindness that our family has already received over the past year. Our community means so much to me and my dad, and we truly appreciate everyone who continues to support and think of us while we wait for him to come home.