California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a pardon for an undocumented immigrant who had been convicted of attempted murder, potentially allowing him to stay in the country, as noted by the Department of Homeland Security.
Somboon Faimani faced multiple charges, including attempted murder and assault with a semi-automatic weapon. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison back in 1997.
In December 2025, Newsom granted clemency, citing that Faimani had turned his life around and “demonstrated his fitness to live an upright life and restore the rights and responsibilities of a citizen.”
The Department of Homeland Security indicated that this pardon enables Faimani to “reopen his immigration process and remain in his California community instead of facing deportation from the U.S.”
Assistant Secretary of State Tricia McLaughlin expressed outrage, stating, “It is absolutely insane that Governor Newsom would pardon an illegal alien who was convicted of attempted murder and keep him in our country. These are criminal illegal aliens that he and his sanctuary politicians are protecting. He is putting the lives of all Americans at risk.”
At the time of his conviction, Faimani was just 19. Following his sentencing, he lost his green card and was subjected to removal proceedings, which culminated in a judicial order in 2019.
McLaughlin mentioned that Newsom’s pardon effectively nullifies Faimani’s qualifying conviction, thereby removing him from the list of those to be deported.
Faimani had applied for a presidential pardon early last year. Newsom’s pardon notice noted that, while it does not excuse Faimani’s past actions or the harm they caused, it acknowledges his efforts to change.
The California Post has reached out to the governor’s office for further comment.
Recently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent correspondence to Newsom and state attorneys general, urging them to abandon “sanctuary” policies that allow criminal undocumented immigrants to be released back into communities.
This letter raised questions about whether the state would comply with requests to detain undocumented individuals being released after arrests or completed sentences.
According to the federal government, about 4,500 undocumented immigrants with criminal records have been set free onto the streets of California.
