Full Breakdown
Minnesota Pardons Convicted Child Rapist; Federal Authorities Deport Him Days Later
7/13/2026, 9:46:56 PM
Core Event
On June 10 2026 the Minnesota Board of Pardons—Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson—granted a full pardon to Tou Lue Vang, a 42-year-old Laotian national convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for repeatedly raping a girl who was 10 years old in 2002-2004. The pardon erased the conviction that underpinned a final removal order issued in October 2006. Within weeks, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Vang had been deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Secretary of State Marco Rubio terminated his legal status.
Background & Context
Vang entered the United States in 1994 as a refugee from a Thai camp and later obtained permanent residency. In 2005 he pleaded guilty to the sexual-abuse charges; a plea deal spared him prison time, imposing 30 years of supervised probation (including one year of local confinement) and a 12-year sentence that was stayed. He served eight months in a county workhouse and was discharged from probation in early 2019. Because Laos had long refused to accept deportees, Vang remained in Minnesota for nearly two decades despite a 2006 removal order.
Key Figures & Groups
- Tim Walz – Democratic Governor of Minnesota and member of the three-person Board of Pardons.
- Keith Ellison – Minnesota Attorney General, Board member who defended the pardon.
- Natalie Hudson – Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, Board member.
- Marco Rubio – U.S. Secretary of State, who ordered the termination of Vang’s legal status.
- Lauren Bis – DHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Media Relations, vocal critic of the pardon.
- Minnesota Clemency Review Commission – Nine-member panel that recommended the pardon by a 4-2 vote; members included Zach Linstrom, Artika Roller, Nadine Graves, and Perry Moriearty.
Official Statements & Responses
The Minnesota Board cited the victim’s forgiveness letter and Vang’s expressed remorse as primary reasons for the pardon. Attorney General Ellison asserted that the pardon removed the criminal basis for removal but did not restore Vang’s green card, leaving federal authorities free to proceed. DHS officials warned that the pardon could “complicate federal efforts to deport Vang.” Secretary Rubio declared that the termination of Vang’s status was necessary to protect public safety and that the deportation ensured he would “never pose a threat to any American ever again.”
Criticism & Opposition
Ramsey County Assistant Attorney Tami McConkey recommended against the pardon, emphasizing aggravating factors such as the extended abuse period, the victim’s age, and Vang’s attempt to bribe the victim. Two commissioners on the Clemency Review Commission voted against the pardon, noting the seriousness of the offenses. Republican lawmakers, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, condemned the decision as prioritizing “violent illegal aliens” over American safety.
Data & Statistics
- Conviction: First-degree criminal sexual conduct (2005).
- Sentence: 12 years, stayed; 30 years supervised probation; 8 months workhouse; probation discharged 2019.
- Victim age at first abuse: 10 years; abuse continued until victim was 12.
- Vang offered the victim $10 to remain silent.
- Immigration removal order issued October 31 2006; deported after June 2026 pardon.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The New York Times noted that pardons do not automatically shield individuals from removal, but did not specify the legal basis for the subsequent deportation. Federal statements did not disclose Vang’s destination or the precise statutory mechanism used to override the pardon.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Governor Tim Walz's decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting.” — Lauren Bis, DHS Acting Assistant Secretary
- “Americans should never have to live in fear that foreign sex predators — shielded from deportation by their own elected officials — could endanger them or their children.” — Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
- “Commissioner Nadine Graves wrote, "The victim supports this pardon.” — Zach Linstrom, Minnesota Clemency Review Commissioner
What’s Next
No further hearings or legislative actions were announced in the source material.
