In a stunning development, the illegal immigrant convicted of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in Minnesota has been removed from the United States after Governor Tim Walz and the state pardon board intervened to shield him from deportation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio took decisive action this week, revoking the man’s legal status and enabling federal authorities to take him into custody. As of today, July 10, 2026, Tou Lue Vang has been loaded onto a deportation flight and permanently removed from the country ensuring he can never return to endanger American children again.
Background: The Crime and the Controversial Pardon
Tou Lue Vang, a 42-year-old Laotian national, was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in Minnesota between approximately 2002 and 2005. He was sentenced to probation and other penalties after pleading guilty.
The conviction made him removable from the United States as an aggravated felon. He faced a final order of removal and was arrested in December 2025 during a federal operation, with deportation to Laos appearing imminent.
However, on June 10, 2026, the Minnesota Board of Pardons comprised of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson unanimously granted Vang a full pardon.
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Supporters pointed to a letter from the victim expressing forgiveness after more than 20 years, statements of remorse from Vang, and community support letters. Vang reportedly has a wife and six children in the U.S. Critics, including the Ramsey County Attorney’s office, opposed the move, noting the serious nature of the crime.
Federal Backlash and Rubio’s Intervention
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security immediately condemned the pardon in a July 1 statement titled “MINNESOTA MADNESS,” calling it “disgusting” and accusing state leaders of protecting a “criminal illegal alien convicted of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.”
DHS noted that the pardon removed the convictions that formed the basis for Vang’s removability.
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In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked Vang’s legal status in the United States. Federal agents quickly took him into custody, and today he was officially deported.
In a statement shared widely on social media, Rubio said:
“Just weeks ago, a convicted sex offender and a foreign national was shielded from deportation by the governor of Minnesota. He even tried to pay his victim for her silence, and he called his heinous crimes a minor thing. Just days before this foreign sex offender was scheduled to be deported, Tim Walz, the governor, issued him a pardon, setting him free to once again endanger the children of America. Well, this week, I revoked his legal status in the United States, and as a result, federal agents took him into custody, and as of today, he has been removed from the United States. Because of our action, this foreign criminal will never pose a threat to any American, ever again.”
Rubio added: “Americans must never be forced by their elected leaders to live alongside foreign sex criminals who have no right to begin with to reside in our country. This administration will always stand with the American people and defend them from violent criminals.”
Public and Political Reaction
The news has sparked intense debate online and among political observers. Many praised Rubio and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, viewing the deportation as a direct rebuke to sanctuary-style policies and controversial state pardons.
Others highlighted the victim’s forgiveness letter as a mitigating factor in the original pardon decision. However, the federal override underscores that state clemency does not override federal immigration authority in such cases.
Vang’s deportation marks a clear victory for those prioritizing public safety and strict enforcement against criminal non-citizens.
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What This Means Going Forward
This case illustrates the tension between state-level clemency powers and federal immigration enforcement. While Minnesota officials exercised their legal authority to pardon Vang, Rubio’s action demonstrates how the federal government can still act decisively to remove serious criminal offenders.
Tou Lue Vang is now out of the United States for good. The children of America—and the rule of law—prevail in this instance.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops. What do you think about the balance between state pardons and federal deportation authority? Share your thoughts below.
