Beloved chef released from immigration custody

ALBANY, N.Y. – A beloved soup kitchen chef in upstate New York who was detained by immigration officials has been released from a detention centre.

The Times Union reports that Kinimo Ngoran (KIH’-nih-moh nuh-GOHR’-an) was released from the federal facility near Buffalo Tuesday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials submitted a court filing.

The immigration agency has issued Ngoran a temporary stay of removal until a decision is made on his application to get a green card through his wife, who is an American citizen.

Ngoran was working for a non-profit organization in Albany when he was arrested Jan. 24. His arrest prompted officials and activists to rally to stop his deportation.

He is a citizen of Ivory Coast who arrived in the U.S. as a stowaway.