politics
U.S. Deports Convicted Laotian Immigrant Weeks After Minnesota Pardon
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced July 10 that Tou Lue Vang had been deported after his legal status was revoked. The action followed a June state pardon granted after the victim expressed forgiveness.
Jul 10, 3:03 PM·1m read2 sources
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U.S. authorities removed Tou Lue Vang from the country on July 10, 2026, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked his legal status. Rubio stated in a video posted that day that federal agents took Vang into custody and completed the removal.
Vang entered the United States in 1994 and received legal status, according to the Department of Homeland Security. A 2006 conviction for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, involving the rape of a girl between 2002 and 2004, led to a final order of removal that same year. Laos initially refused to accept deportees, so Vang remained in Minnesota for nearly two decades.
Federal authorities detained Vang in December 2025 during an immigration crackdown. A federal judge ordered his release from ICE custody in February 2026. In June 2026 the Minnesota board of pardons granted a pardon after Vang expressed remorse and the victim submitted a letter of forgiveness.
The victim wrote that she had “made my peace” and forgiven Vang, adding, “He is not the same person now. I have seen how he has changed,” the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. ” The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the deportation on July 10, weeks after the pardon.
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