Fundraiser held to support Humboldt Park restaurant owner deported to Pakistan last year

A well-known Chicago chef stepped up to support a longtime restaurant owner who was deported during last year's immigration enforcement.

The power of food and its ability to bring people together was on full display Sunday night in Humboldt Park. The community packed a small restaurant to raise awareness and money to bring the owner back home.

The kitchen was busy, and the line of customers wrapped out the door at Best Sub # 2, but the fixture and owner of the shop, 63-year-old Asif Amin Cheema, was noticeably absent.

"This means the world to me, it just goes to show who my dad is, how much they respect him," said Rabia Amin.

Cheema was deported to Pakistan after his arrest last year, despite living in Chicago for 30 years. His daughters said he had a valid work permit and was scheduled for a green card interview when he was detained.

An attorney helped him with his immigration status, but never removed a deportation order on his record from the early 1990s—an order his family said they didn't know existed.

"I miss everybody," Cheema said.

He spoke with CBS News Chicago from Pakistan in January. He said he worked hard to raise his kids and thinks about what he possibly has done wrong. 

"We are continuing to fight, my dad told us to keep our heads high, and that's exactly what we are going to do," Rabia said.

Joining in on the fight to bring Cheema home is Chicago Chef Zubair Mohajir, who previously competed on the reality show "Top Chef." He says he heard about Cheema's story and wanted to help.

"Mr. Cheema has made such a big imprint in this community that thing we have in common is when we serve food, is that food is our weapon, food is our weapon to spread love and education," Mohajir said.

The money raised from the chopped cheese and chicken sandwiches will go directly towards helping the family and supporting a local immigration advocacy organization.

"We are able to do what we do where we are because of places like this and people like Cheema to  introduced, you know, kinda that cultural aspect of how Pakistanis and Indians take care of each other," Mohajir said.

"He truly is a trailblazer in the culinary field, and to see him come up and have this idea to bring so much light to my dad's restaurant has been a great experience. We are not going to stop fighting to bring my dad home," Rabina said.

Rabia said she plans on visiting her dad in Pakistan at the end of the month, but the war with Iran has complicated that, as a travel advisory for Pakistan has been issued by the U.S. State Department. The family has also set up an online fundraiser to help.