Jersey Kebab Begins Move From Haddon Twp., With Owners' Immigration Cases Pending

HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ — As the Emanet family prepares to relocate Jersey Kebab, their status in the country they've called home for nearly two decades remains uncertain.

Celal and Emine Emanet — the husband and wife who own Jersey Kebab — were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in February. Their eldest son, Muhammed Emanet, is also facing deportation.

In the past year, community support has surged for the Emanet family, whose arrests became a regional flashpoint of the Trump administration's immigration policies.

Restaurant Relocation

Meanwhile, their restaurant is relocating from Haddon Township to Collingswood. They hope to open the Collingswood restaurant in the second week of November, according to Muhammed Emanet, who helps operate the restaurant.

"Our contract with the original building (in Haddon Township) expired last month," Muhammed Emanet said in a video on Jersey Kebab's social media. "And no matter what we put on the table, our landlord has insisted that he is going to turn this place into his own Mediterranean restaurant, which is going to force us out of here."

They quickly found a new home for Jersey Kebab, which will relocate to the longtime site of Pop Shop in Collingswood, which became The Stardust Cafe.

Stardust Cafe owner Jerry Goksun is a friend of the Emanets and, like the Emanets, is also Turkish.

"We didn’t know where we were going to go, what we were going to do," Muhammed Emanet said. "But ultimately, God has opened up a door for us to grow our business, to grow our legacy even further."

The new restaurant will be located at 729 Haddon Ave., Collingswood.

Pending Immigration Cases

Meanwhile, the Emanets' respective immigration cases could take years to resolve.

Celal and Emine immigrated to the United States from Turkey on a religious visa in 2008. They applied for green cards in 2016, when their visa was still in effect. But their case has remained open for nine years, leaving them in limbo.

ICE authorities raided the restaurant in February, detaining husband and wife Celal and Emine Emanet. Celal was released shortly after, while Emine was detained for over a month before a bond hearing allowed for her release.

Emine's deportation hearing had been scheduled for last week. But a day before, the family was informed that her hearing was postponed to April 2027. Celal's hearing had been scheduled for 2029 but is now set for this upcoming March, according to their son.

While speaking at a "No Kings" rally in Collingswood earlier this year, Muhammed Emanet revealed that he was also facing deportation. He said that ICE raided his house in 2020.

Muhammed's green card has since been approved after a deportation hearing Aug. 8. But he's still waiting to receive it.

"Even though my green card has been approved, they are holding onto it until my case is terminated but they won’t even let that happen," he said. "We are unsure of the future, but as long as we are here today, we will serve our people as best as we can."

A GoFundMe for the family generated more than $325,000.