Steve Li stuck in immigration ‘limbo’

Steve Li stuck in immigration ‘limbo’

When Steve Li recently stepped into the Asian Law Caucus office for an unexpected visit, he was greeted with, “It’s the legendary!” followed by several hugs. But Li never wanted this notoriety, which has come at a steep personal cost. Li was a student at City College of San Francisco when immigration officials came to his Ingleside neighborhood home in September 2010 and took him away, eventually to a detention center in Arizona. It turned out his…

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Freed student Steve Li returns to S.F.

Freed student Steve Li returns to S.F.

The past three days have been like a dream for Steve Li. After spending more than two months at a detention center in Arizona, Li, who was on the verge of being deported to Peru, is back in San Francisco – the only place he’s ever considered home. “Finally, this nightmare was over, but it’s still surreal to me,” the 20-year-old City College student said Monday. “I’ve been everywhere lately, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster.” Since his return…

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Steve ‘Shing Ma’ Li freed as Feinstein intervenes

Steve ‘Shing Ma’ Li freed as Feinstein intervenes

It seemed that all odds were against Steve “Shing Ma” Li, a City College of San Francisco student who has been incarcerated for more than two months, awaiting deportation to a country where he had no friends or family. But Friday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced plans to release Li from a detention center in Florence, Ariz., where he has been in custody since Oct. 8. His destination is not Peru, his country of…

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Feinstein seeks to block Steve Li’s deportation

Feinstein seeks to block Steve Li’s deportation

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has asked immigration authorities to halt the deportation of City College of San Francisco nursing student Steve “Shing Ma” Li while she considers introducing a bill that would allow him to stay in the United States temporarily, her office said Sunday. The California Democrat‘s effort came as Li’s attorney said his removal flight to Peru would no longer happen today, as initially planned. The lawyer, Sin Yen Ling, said the immigration officer that…

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Steve Li fears he’ll be deported Monday

Steve Li fears he’ll be deported Monday

When Steve “Shing Ma” Li saw he had a message waiting from his lawyer Thursday evening, he was hoping for good news. The 20-year-old San Francisco City College student has kept in touch daily with his lawyer and mother since he was taken to a detention center in Florence, Ariz. He knew that they, along with thousands of others, had been advocating against his deportation to Peru. But his lawyer’s voice gave it away. He wouldn’t be…

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Steve Li, City College student, awaits deportation

Steve Li, City College student, awaits deportation

Steve Li was living up to his – and his parents’ – American dream until his untold past caught up to him. The 20-year-old City College of San Francisco student was chasing his goal to open a medical clinic serving the immigrant community, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials knocked on the door of his Ingleside apartment more than a month and a half ago. Now he faces deportation to a country where he has no…

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