Minnesota Board Pardons Deportable Child Sex Offender Backed For Removal
On June 10, 2026 the Minnesota Board of Pardons granted a pardon to Tou Lue Vang, 42, a Laos national convicted of first-degree sexual conduct, clearing a 2006 removal order and halting his deportation.[1]
The pardon was approved by a board chaired by Gov. Tim Walz and including Attorney General Keith Ellison and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson.[1] The board acted on a Clemency Review Commission recommendation that approved the pardon by a 4-2 vote in April 2026.[1] DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis condemned the decision, saying it lets a convicted child rapist who is unlawfully present remain in the country.[1]
In December 2025 the Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge, sending ICE agents into Minnesota and arresting about 4,000 people from December 2025 through early 2026. Vang was detained by federal authorities in 2025 as part of the operation. His 2006 conviction for repeated assaults on a 10-year-old led to a final removal order and stripped the lawful status he had obtained in 1994. His detention prompted a pardon application, and the Clemency Review Commission recommended approval by a 4-2 vote with three members absent.
From 2025 through June 2026 the board granted more than 200 pardons but denied at least four requests from sex offenders facing deportation, including one denied the same day as Vang. The decision has drawn sharp criticism on social media and from immigration enforcement officials who say state action interferes with federal removal efforts.
The mainstream summary does not mention that the Minnesota Board of Pardons has granted a total of 204 pardons since late 2025, while denying at least four requests from sex offenders facing deportation, including one on the same day as Vang's pardon. This context highlights a selective approach in the board's decision-making process, which has drawn criticism for allegedly prioritizing certain cases over others, particularly those involving serious crimes like sexual offenses. The summary also fails to note that Operation Metro Surge, which resulted in about 4,000 arrests, included 87 individuals with sex offense convictions, emphasizing the broader implications of the pardon within the context of federal immigration enforcement efforts. This data suggests a significant intersection between state-level pardons and federal immigration policies that the mainstream account does not fully explore.[2]
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📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge resulted in approximately 4,000 arrests in Minnesota from December 2025 through early 2026, including 87 individuals with sex offense convictions.
Border czar says 1000 immigration agents have left ... — CBS News
The Minnesota Board of Pardons granted 121 pardons in 2025 and 83 so far in 2026; of over 400 applications from March 2025 to June 2026 that mentioned immigration, it denied at least four pardons to individuals convicted of sex crimes who faced deportation, including one on the same day as Vang.
Minnesota Pardons Sexual Abuser Who Was Set to Be Deported — The New York Times
📌 Key Facts
- On June 10, 2026, the Minnesota Board of Pardons granted a pardon to Tou Lue Vang, 42, a Laos national.
- Vang was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for repeatedly assaulting a 10-year-old girl between 2002 and 2006.
- His conviction revoked the lawful status he obtained in 1994 and led to a final removal order in 2006.
- Vang was detained by federal authorities in 2025 as part of Operation Metro Surge targeting removable offenders in Minnesota.
- The board, chaired by Gov. Tim Walz and including AG Keith Ellison and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, acted on a recommendation from the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission.
- DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis condemned the pardon, saying it allows a convicted child rapist who is unlawfully present to remain in the country.
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