State attorney arrested by immigration officials, held in detention center

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Shucheng “Charlie” Yang, 32, a Chinese national and attorney with the Alaska Department of Law, on July 10 in Anchorage, according to an ICE spokesperson.

Yang’s case is listed as “pending,” according to online court records, with a hearing scheduled in October. The case was opened on Oct. 27, 2025.

An attorney familiar with immigration proceedings says it is likely that he applied for asylum in the United States.

Each year, people come to the United States seeking protection because they have suffered persecution or fear they will suffer persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

USCIS says asylum applications generally must be filed by noncitizens who are physically in the United States within one year of arriving.

If someone qualifies for asylum, they must remain in the U.S. while the case is pending, USCIS says.

In June 2025, Yang was admitted to the Alaska Bar Association and licensed to practice law in the state.

Asylum applicants may apply for work authorization while their case is adjudicated.

An ICE spokesperson said Yang violated the terms of his admission and is a “deportable alien.”

He is currently being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, pending immigration proceedings.

Yang pled no contest to a speeding ticket he was cited for on May 22. There are no other charges against him listed in the Alaska court system.

Yang is the most recent person in Alaska to be taken into ICE custody at the Tacoma processing center; a Mexican woman living in Soldotna was deported along with her three children in February.

His arrest also comes days after a Colombian man was shot and killed by a federal immigration officer earlier this week in Maine, fueling a new wave of protests against perceived ICE brutality.

State outlines hiring process

The Alaska Department of Administration responded to general questions about verifying employment eligibility for all full-time hires and said the state requires applicants to self-disclose their employment eligibility during the application process.

“The State of Alaska hires individuals who have the legal right to work in the United States,” Policy Advisor Kate Sheehan said. “This employment eligibility is confirmed through the federally mandated I-9 verification process.”

Yang is listed as a Department of Law civil attorney on the State of Alaska employee directory.

Both the Alaska Department of Law and the Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy declined to address Yang’s employment status or arrest.