Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other members of the state’s Board of Pardons approved clemency last month for a Laotian national whose criminal conviction previously placed him at risk of deportation, according to state records.
The pardon was granted June 10 to Tou Lue Vang, 42, after a recommendation from the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission. The board, which includes Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, has final authority over clemency decisions.
A letter informing Vang of the decision from CRC Executive Director Carli Stark said the pardon represented a significant milestone.
“Being granted a pardon is a notable achievement and a reflection of the work you have done since your conviction,” Stark wrote.
Vang had been convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Prosecutors said the case involved repeated abuse of a 10-year-old girl between 2002 and 2006. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Vang also attempted to pay the child $10 to remain silent about the abuse.
DHS didn’t hold back in its criticism of Walz and the state of Minnesota:
“Governor Tim Walz’s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting,” said Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting. Tou Lue Vang lost his legal status following his conviction for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. Following the conviction, he was placed in removal proceedings and issued a final order of removal by a judge. This pardon will take away this child rapist’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the United States.”
He entered a guilty plea as part of a deal that allowed him to avoid a prison sentence.
In his clemency application, Vang pointed to his rehabilitation efforts and said he had accepted responsibility for his actions. The board’s review process considers recommendations from the commission, but the final decision rests with the pardon board.
Vang first came to the United States through California in 1994 and later received legal status under the Clinton administration. That status was revoked after his conviction and a final order of removal in 2006.
Federal authorities detained Vang last year during the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, according to DHS.
The case has drawn renewed attention as President Donald Trump and other immigration officials continue criticizing Minnesota’s sanctuary policies, arguing they limit cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration enforcement.
