Advocates pack Seattle courtroom to support immigrant threatened with deportation to Laos Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez September 05, 2025 / 5:53 pm
Dozens of people packed a federal courtroom in Seattle Friday morning to show support for a West Seattle man who was detained by ICE in July after decades of checking in with federal officials without any incident.
Chittakone “Alan” Phetsadakone was originally a refugee from Laos. He immigrated in the 90s, when when many refugees were coming to the U.S.
His arrest this summer came as a surprise to his family. Cheryl Eugenio, Phetsadakone's wife of 26 years and a U.S. citizen, said she also was surprised by the support her family has been receiving from the community since her husband's detention.
“We're very private people, and so, like e