Longtime Youngstown resident Jero Phamakao has been deported to Laos after what his family insists was supposed to be a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Instead, they say, the visit ended with Phamakao in cuffs, routed through the Mahoning County Justice Center and ultimately put on a deportation flight out of Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, leaving his wife and children scrambling to hold their lives together.
A 3News investigation found that Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport has quietly become a launch point for deportation flights. Reporters verified more than 1,000 ICE flights through YNG from April 2025 through the first quarter of 2026, and 2,572 ICE detainees were booked into Mahoning County between April 2025 and April 2026, according to WKYC. Public records and the station's reporting show that Phamakao, who came to Ohio as a child and has had a removal order since 2004, was instructed to show up early for his annual check-in, then detained, moved through the county lockup, and placed on a removal flight.
Mahoning County as a holding point
Local records and news reports indicate the Mahoning County Justice Center is being used as a holding site for immigrants in ICE custody under intergovernmental agreements. WFMJ reported that the jail has taken in dozens of people facing deportation, and the facility appears on ICE listings of regional detention sites.
Phamakao's wife, Jennifer, says she is now juggling multiple jobs while raising their children alone and leaning on neighbors and supporters for backup. The family launched a fundraiser in October 2025 to help cover legal costs and basic expenses, according to their GoFundMe page.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told investigators that his office operates under a longstanding contract with the federal government, and immigration attorney Aleksander Cuic said people in situations like Phamakao's often face a painful choice between returning to a country they barely remember or wading into a long-shot legal fight in the United States, according to WKYC.
What advocates say
Immigrant advocates argue that using smaller regional airports and county jails for deportation operations keeps the process largely out of public view and makes it harder for families to react quickly or secure legal help. The Ohio Immigrant Alliance has publicly criticized the growing pattern of counties signing on to house ICE detainees and has pushed for more transparency and stronger legal support for affected families, according to the Ohio Immigrant Alliance.
For now, the Phamakao family is focused on gathering paperwork, finding legal representation and keeping the lights on while they search for answers about how his removal was handled. Their fundraiser and local supporters outline ways to help and say they plan to keep pressing for details about why the deportation moved through the Youngstown area, according to GoFundMe.
