Laotian National Arrested in Minnesota Following Sexual Assault Conviction
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials arrested Houa Xiong, a national of Laos, in Minnesota this past weekend as part of a targeted enforcement effort known as Operation Metro Surge. Xiong, identified by federal authorities as remaining in the country illegally, was taken into custody based on a criminal record that includes convictions for sexual assault, disorderly conduct, and obstructing police.
The operation has brought renewed attention to the jurisdictional conflict between federal immigration enforcement and local “sanctuary” policies in Minnesota. DHS officials stated that local restrictions on inter-agency cooperation force federal agents to conduct at-large arrests in public spaces rather than assuming custody of individuals within secure jail environments. Conversely, advocates for sanctuary policies argue that separating local policing from federal immigration enforcement is essential for maintaining community trust, ensuring that victims and witnesses in immigrant communities feel safe reporting crimes to local police without fear of deportation.
Xiong was apprehended alongside several other individuals during the weekend sweep, which specifically targeted non-citizens with prior criminal convictions involving violence, sexual offenses, or crimes against children. Legal records indicate that Xiong’s convictions for obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct stem from prior incidents where he resisted law enforcement intervention. Following his recent arrest, he remains in federal detention pending the outcome of his immigration proceedings.
dhs.gov
