Suya Joint

Manager of Acclaimed Boston Restaurant Suya Joint Detained by ICE | Eater Boston

"An award-winning West African restaurant in Nubian Square that has been a Roxbury mainstay since 2016, earning spots on local must-try lists (including Eater Boston’s 38 essential restaurants) and multiple Best of Boston awards; a Providence location opened in early 2025. The kitchen is known for jollof rice, tender beef suya skewers, and egusi stew. The operation has been thrown into crisis after the restaurant manager, Paul Dama — the brother of owner and chef Cecelia Lizotte — was detained by ICE on June 15 while on his way to church; Dama, who joined his sister in 2019 and has a pending asylum application, is being held in Stafford County (Dover, NH) with no local criminal charges on file and a hearing set for June 26. Facing the possibility of a temporary closure as the family focuses on his legal case, the restaurant and community have launched fundraising efforts (including a GoFundMe) and the restaurant is donating 20% of all jollof sales toward his legal expenses, while staff urge keeping the business open amid fears about immigration enforcement." - Tanya Edwards