Laotian National With Terror and Sex Offense Convictions Arrested by ICE in Minnesota
Federal immigration authorities have arrested Vong Som, a Laotian national described by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a “criminal illegal alien,” during a recent enforcement operation in the Minneapolis area. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Som’s criminal record includes convictions for terroristic threats, sexual assault, and weapons possession.
The arrest was part of a broader targeted operation by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) over the weekend, which resulted in the detention of several Laotian nationals with significant criminal histories. In addition to Som, authorities apprehended individuals convicted of various serious offenses, including obstructing police, receiving stolen property, and disorderly conduct. DHS officials stated that these enforcement actions are prioritized to remove individuals deemed threats to public safety and national security.
This operation occurs against a backdrop of increased repatriation efforts between the United States and Laos. While the U.S. government emphasizes that these removals are necessary to enforce immigration laws and remove dangerous offenders from American communities, the deportations have drawn sharp criticism from advocacy groups. Organizations representing the Southeast Asian diaspora argue that many of the individuals targeted arrived in the U.S. as refugee children fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the “Secret War” in Laos.
Critics of the policy contend that deporting these individuals, many of whom have already served their prison sentences in the U.S., amounts to “double punishment.” Legal advocates have raised objections regarding due process, noting that some deportees have little connection to Laos, having lived in the U.S. for decades. Conversely, federal authorities maintain that holding non-citizens accountable for violent crimes is a fundamental aspect of the immigration system and that removal orders are issued by federal immigration judges following legal proceedings.
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