A man known as “Sushi John” who was convicted of being a Chinese spy in America was finally arrested by ICE after inexplicably being allowed to walk free and continue operating his noodle shop for three years.
At a Glance
- Ming Xi Zhang, owner of Ya Ya Noodles in New Jersey, was arrested by ICE on March 24 after previously being convicted of spying for China
- Despite pleading guilty in 2021 to serving as an unregistered Chinese agent, Zhang was sentenced to just three years’ probation and allowed to continue running his restaurant
- Zhang admitted to meeting with Chinese security officials, delivering $35,000 to someone in NJ, and hosting a Chinese government agent at his home twice in 2016
- ICE claims Zhang legally entered the US in 2000 but later violated the terms of his lawful admission
His arrest is part of increased deportation efforts under President Trump’s administration
From Sushi Rolls to Spy Rolls: The Bizarre Case of “Sushi John”
In a case that sounds like it came straight from a spy novel, the owner of a New Jersey sushi restaurant has been arrested by ICE after being convicted of espionage activities on behalf of the Chinese government. Ming Xi Zhang, affectionately known to locals as “Sushi John,” was arrested in Newark on March 24 and is currently being held at the Elizabeth Detention Center awaiting immigration proceedings. The most shocking part? Despite pleading guilty to being an unregistered foreign agent in 2021, Zhang was merely sentenced to probation and allowed to continue serving spicy tuna rolls alongside his apparent side gig as a Chinese operative.
What kind of upside-down world are we living in where a confessed foreign agent gets a slap on the wrist and is allowed to continue operating a business in an American community? Zhang admitted to serving as an agent of China without notifying the U.S. Attorney General, as required by law. This wasn’t some minor oversight – he met with Chinese security officials in the Bahamas in 2016 and personally delivered $35,000 to an individual in New Jersey. He even hosted a Chinese government agent at his Princeton home twice that same year. I don’t know about you, but I prefer my sushi without a side of espionage.
Immigration Violations Finally Catch Up to “Sushi Spy”
According to ICE, Zhang legally entered the United States in 2000 but subsequently violated the terms of his lawful admission. It took until 2024 – after he had already been convicted of acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government – for authorities to finally decide that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t someone who should be freely operating in American society. The Biden administration’s soft-on-crime, weak-on-national-security approach is perfectly exemplified in this case, where a convicted foreign agent was allowed to remain in the country for years after his conviction.
The timeline here is truly mind-boggling. Zhang pleaded guilty in May 2021. He was convicted in April 2024 and sentenced to a mere three years’ probation – not jail time, not deportation, just probation. For spying! Only after Trump’s administration ramped up deportation efforts was Zhang finally taken into custody by ICE. This is exactly the kind of case that highlights why we need stronger enforcement of our immigration laws and more serious consequences for those who engage in espionage activities against our country.
Community Support Shows Dangerous Naivety About National Security
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of this whole ordeal is the reported “support” from the local community for Zhang and his restaurant following his arrest. Let’s be crystal clear about what happened here: this isn’t some innocent immigrant being unfairly targeted. This is a man who admitted in a court of law to working for a hostile foreign government on American soil. The fact that anyone would rally behind someone convicted of espionage shows just how far we’ve fallen in understanding the serious threats our nation faces.
Zhang’s attorney, Robert Hazzard, has not responded to inquiries from the New York Post. No surprise there – what exactly could he say? “My client is shocked that being a convicted spy for China might have immigration consequences”? The legal environment may be uncertain with recent Supreme Court decisions affecting deportation cases, but one thing should be abundantly clear: foreign agents who betray the trust of the United States should not be allowed to continue living freely among us, serving noodles or otherwise.
