DHS Release Photo of Walz Pardoned Illegal Being Deported

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed off on pardoning a convicted child sex offender — and the federal government just deported him anyway.

Story Snapshot

Minnesota’s Board of Pardons voted unanimously on June 10 to pardon Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national who pleaded guilty in 2005 to sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl.
The pardon board included Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, both Democrats.
The Department of Homeland Security condemned the pardon, calling it an attempt to block a lawful deportation order.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Vang’s deportation, and DHS released a photo of Vang being removed from the country.

What Tou Lue Vang Did and What Minnesota Did About It

In 2005, Tou Lue Vang pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in Minnesota. He is a citizen of Laos and was in the United States without legal status. Federal immigration authorities moved to deport him based on that conviction. Then, on June 10, the Minnesota Board of Pardons stepped in and voted unanimously to grant him a full pardon. Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison were both on that three-member board.

The board defended its decision by pointing to what it called an exhaustive review. Officials said the process included a statement of support from the victim herself, a formal recommendation from the Clemency Review Commission, and a large number of letters from the community. Walz and Ellison argued the pardon did not prevent deportation. That claim did not hold up for long.

The Federal Government’s Response Was Swift and Blunt

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not hold back. DHS released a statement calling Governor Walz’s decision to pardon “an illegal alien convicted of child sex crimes” an effort to “thwart” a lawful removal. The agency argued the pardon was timed to interfere with an imminent deportation that had already been scheduled. Secretary of State Marco Rubio then announced that Vang had been deported regardless, and DHS released a photo of Vang being removed to drive the point home.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) posted about the case directly on social media, making clear the pardon did not erase Vang’s immigration violations or stop the removal process. The Trump administration framed the deportation as a direct rebuke of Minnesota’s Democratic leadership. The White House press pool issued a statement with a pointed headline: “Minnesota Democrats Pardoned a Convicted Child Rapist. President Trump Deported Him.”

Minnesota Republicans and National Voices Push Back Hard

State House Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska called the pardon a disgrace. His statement reflected a broader Republican argument — that Walz and Ellison used the pardon process to shield a criminal from the consequences of his actions. That argument is hard to dismiss when you look at the timeline. The pardon came just weeks before a scheduled deportation. Whether that timing was deliberate or coincidental, the optics are damaging and the facts speak for themselves.

Governor Tim Walz pardoned Tou Lue Vang, an illegal immigrant convicted of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl, which effectively blocked his deportation. This decision has drawn significant criticism from various officials and organizations.
Minnesota's Board of Pardons…

— forthepeople (@MimiSchlos70357) July 10, 2026

This is not the first time Minnesota’s Board of Pardons has drawn federal criticism. DHS also blasted the board for unanimously pardoning another individual, Xayasounethone Chandee, who had been convicted of assault and was also facing deportation. A pattern is forming in Minnesota, and it raises a fair question: Is the board using its pardon power as a political tool to block federal immigration enforcement?

The Victim’s Support Does Not Change the Bigger Picture

The board’s defenders point to the victim’s support for the pardon as a key reason the decision was justified. That support deserves respect. Victims have the right to forgive, and their voices matter in these proceedings. But a victim’s personal forgiveness does not wipe away the public safety question that comes with keeping a convicted child sex offender in the country illegally. Forgiveness is personal. Immigration law is national policy.

The federal government’s position is grounded in common sense. A person who entered the country without legal status, then pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a child, has provided two separate and serious reasons to be removed. A state pardon can clear a criminal record under state law. It does not grant legal immigration status, and it does not override federal removal authority. The deportation of Tou Lue Vang proved exactly that.