Pardoned—Then Vanished: ICE Moves Fast

Federal agents deported a convicted child sex abuser from Minnesota just one month after Governor Tim Walz and the state’s Board of Pardons voted to pardon him — proving that a state pardon cannot override federal immigration law.

Story Snapshot

The Minnesota Board of Pardons, with Gov. Walz as a member, voted June 10, 2026, to pardon Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national convicted of sexually abusing a child.
Federal immigration law is clear: only a court can erase a conviction for deportation purposes — a state pardon cannot do that.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Vang on July 10, 2026, one month after the pardon, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s revocation of his legal status.
Tom Homan and other top federal officials publicly condemned the pardon, calling it a threat to public safety.

Walz Votes to Pardon a Convicted Child Sex Abuser

On June 10, 2026, the Minnesota Board of Pardons voted unanimously to pardon Tou Lue Vang, a citizen of Laos who had been convicted of sexually abusing a child. Governor Tim Walz sits on the Board and voted in favor. Minnesota officials claimed the pardon “effectively wipes away the convictions that made him deportable.” Federal authorities disagreed — strongly. ICE moved quickly to deport Vang anyway, and he was removed from the country exactly one month later.

The victim in the case, now an adult and the sister of Vang’s wife, sent a letter supporting the pardon. Minnesota officials pointed to that letter as part of their justification. But federal law does not give state boards the power to erase a conviction for immigration purposes, no matter who supports the pardon. The Board members did not respond to media requests asking them to explain how the pardon legally blocks deportation under federal law.

Federal Law Overrules the Pardon

ICE’s official statement cut right to the point: “Only the courts can remove a conviction. A pardon will remove the associated penalties and restore any lost rights — it does not erase the conviction for immigration enforcement.” Federal law under 8 U.S.C. § 1227 states that a noncitizen loses legal status upon conviction for certain crimes. Vang lost his legal status the moment he was convicted, and a final deportation order was already in place. The Minnesota Board of Pardons has no judicial authority to undo that.

Legal scholars have noted this pattern for years. Since Congress restructured immigration law in the 1990s, state pardons no longer stop deportation for most serious offenses — especially crimes involving children. Courts have found that a state pardon will not prevent deportation when the conviction falls under federal removal grounds not covered by the pardon exception. The pardon may restore some civil rights in Minnesota, but it carries no weight with federal immigration judges when it comes to removal.

Rubio Acts — Vang Is Deported

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he had revoked Vang’s legal status, clearing the way for deportation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called the pardon “disgusting” and made clear the Trump administration would not let a state board decision stand in the way of enforcing federal law. Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, publicly asked: “Who pardons a child sex offender and rapist?” Minnesota Republican Congressman Tom Emmer called Walz “feckless” for his role in the pardon vote.

ICE agents deported Vang on July 10, 2026, escorting him onto a deportation flight back to Laos. The case drew national attention and became a flashpoint in the broader debate over sanctuary-style policies and state attempts to shield immigrants from federal enforcement. For the Trump administration, the message was simple: federal law wins. A unanimous vote by a state clemency board — even one that includes a governor — cannot override a federal deportation order for a convicted child sex offender.