Minnesota Pardon of Convicted Child Sex Offender Overturned by Federal Deportation, Highlighting State-Federal Immigration Clash

Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national, was deported by ICE on July 10, 2026, despite a June 10 pardon from Minnesota’s Board of Pardons that erased his 2006 conviction for repeatedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl starting in 2002. Vang, who entered the U.S. legally as a child in 1994, lost permanent residency status after pleading guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct; a final removal order followed in October 2006. He remained in the country until detained during 2025 enforcement operations. The pardon board—comprising Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson—unanimously approved the request following victim forgiveness statements, clemency review, and community support letters. Federal officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, revoked his status and executed the deportation, criticizing the pardon as shielding a convicted offender. Mainstream reporting from The New York Times and The Guardian confirms the timeline and details, while official DHS and State Department releases document the removal. This case illustrates direct state-level clemency decisions intersecting with federal immigration enforcement priorities, particularly on serious crimes involving noncitizens.