Homeland Security Condemns Minnesota Governor’s Pardon Decision
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a statement criticizing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other state officials following their decision to pardon Tou Lue Vang, a Laos native convicted for the repeated sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl.
On June 10, the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission voted to pardon Vang, who had been convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a minor. After the pardon, Vang was poised for imminent removal from the country, but the pardon ultimately cleared his record, according to the DHS statement released on Wednesday. Vang originally came to the U.S. from California in 1994, receiving legal status during the Bill Clinton administration.
Court documents reveal that Vang assaulted the girl multiple times from 2002 to 2004. In one instance, he even tried to offer her $10 to keep quiet about the incidents. It’s not clear how the two knew each other.
Records from law enforcement, referenced by DHS, indicate that when interrogated in 2005, Vang attempted to justify his actions, alleging that in his culture, it was normal for men to marry and have relations with girls as young as 12.
“It is a cultural thing…to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12,” he stated, claiming that the young girl was equally to blame.
After his conviction, a Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Vang’s removal in October 2006. He served some jail time, had a 12-year prison sentence stayed, and completed 30 years of supervised probation in early 2019.
Deporting Vang to Laos hadn’t been possible for nearly 20 years due to the country’s refusal to accept deportees. However, a shift in diplomatic relations in 2025 made this possible, leading ICE to schedule his removal for June 2026—only a week after his pardon was approved.
“My past actions—though deeply regrettable—do not reflect the man I am today,” he wrote. “Since my conviction, I have committed myself to living an honest, responsible, and community-focused life. I have worked tirelessly to rebuild the trust of my family, friends, and community.”
In his letter to the pardons board, Vang mentioned he was born in Thailand but of Laos descent, lacking citizenship or residency in any other country. He argued for a pardon on the grounds that all his immediate family lives in the U.S. and that he has “no surviving relatives in Laos.”
“A pardon would help lift or ease these restrictions, allowing me to more fully support my family by providing a secure and stable home for my children and helping them pursue their education so that they may have a brighter and more promising future,” he expressed.
A recommendation from the Clemency Review Commission included a statement from the victim, which reportedly swayed the decision to grant the pardon.
“The Minnesota Board of Pardons made a unanimous decision to grant Tou Vang this pardon after an exhaustive process which included a statement of support for the pardon from the victim, a recommendation to grant the pardon from the Clemency Review Commission, and a large number of community support letters,” Attorney General Keith Ellison noted in a statement.
Nevertheless, the decision has provoked significant backlash, as it effectively clears Vang’s criminal record and stops his deportation.
“Governor Tim Walz’s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, criticizing the protection of individuals with criminal records. “Tou Lue Vang lost his legal status following his conviction for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. This pardon will take away this child rapist’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the United States.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) expressed his discontent on social media, stating, “I’m angry and disgusted at yet another action by our feckless governor that puts violent illegal aliens ahead of innocent Americans.”
ICE also voiced strong criticism through social media, underscoring the timing of the pardon.
“The Minnesota Board of Pardons voted June 10 to grant Tou Lue Vang, of Laos, a pardon for his 2006 convictions for sexual assault—strongarm sodomy and procuring a child for prostitution. This pardon came just a week before Vang was set to be REMOVED from our nation,” ICE stated.
