Deportation of Child Rapist Revoked After Pardon
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the deportation of a Laotian national, Tu Luu Van, who was previously pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. This decision comes after Van, convicted over twenty years ago for raping a 10-year-old girl, posed a threat to public safety.
Just recently, Rubio intervened to revoke the pardon that Governor Walz granted Van, who is now 42 years old. When arrested and later tried in 2006 for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Van described his actions as “minor,” claiming that marrying and having sexual relations with young girls was part of his culture.
In a recent announcement, Rubio expressed his concerns, stating, “Just a few weeks ago, a foreign child rapist received a pardon from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, allowing him to once again endanger America’s children. Tho Lu Van admitted to committing a heinous crime against a 10-year-old girl in Minnesota. He sought to pay the victim for his silence and dismissed his child abuse acts as ‘trivial.’
Rubio further lamented, “Just days before he was scheduled to be deported, the governor of Minnesota pardoned him, allowing him to put American families at risk again.” Following this intervention, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Van had been deported back to Laos.
The contentious pardon was granted on June 10 by the Minnesota Board of Pardons, which includes key state officials like Governor Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. The board’s decision followed a thorough vetting process that included support from the community and even letters from victims asking for leniency.
Van had been in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since December 10, 2025, then was released on federal supervision on February 19 while awaiting the outcome of his case. The pardon brought renewed scrutiny, as a spokesperson for the board stated, “The Minnesota Board of Pardons made the unanimous decision to pardon Mr. Thu Van after a thorough process that included statements of support for clemency from the victim, a recommendation from the Pardon Review Board, and numerous letters of support from the community.”
