{"id":7360,"date":"2026-07-16T06:12:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T01:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=7360"},"modified":"2026-07-16T06:12:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T01:12:15","slug":"tim-walz-defends-minnesota-pardon-of-sex-offender-deported-to-laos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=7360","title":{"rendered":"Tim Walz defends Minnesota pardon of sex offender deported to Laos"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597993\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/tim-walz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> publicly defended his vote to pardon \u00a0a Laotian national who had been under a final removal order after losing legal status following a child-sex-crime conviction convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a 10-year-old girl after the Trump administration deported him to Laos last week.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Tou Lue Vang, 42, received a pardon from Minnesota&#8217;s Board of Pardons on June 10. Last Friday, the Trump administration announced that Vang&#8217;s legal status had been revoked and that he <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597994\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/immigration\/deportation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">had been deported<\/a> to his home country of Laos.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Asked about the deportation, Walz questioned what the move accomplished.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597995\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/exposed-docs-reveal-why-tim-walz-board-awarded-repeat-child-rapist-pardon-no-future\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>EXPOSED DOCS REVEAL WHY TIM WALZ BOARD AWARDED REPEAT CHILD RAPIST PARDON: \u2018NO FUTURE\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/343\/192\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/686\/384\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/672\/378\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1344\/756\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/931\/523\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1862\/1046\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/720\/405\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1440\/810\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/tim-walz-motions-tue-lou-vang.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Tim Walz and Tue Lue Vang\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz (left) and the state Board of Pardons awarded a pardon to Laotian national Tou Lue Vang (right), who was convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting an underage girl.<\/span> <span>(Salih Okuroglo\/Anadolu via Getty Images; Department of Homeland Security)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Did that make us any safer?&#8221; Walz said Tuesday, according to KTTC. &#8220;Did that make the children that are left behind any more stable?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Did it improve the idea that we can\u2019t all be judged by our worst day?&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;And I want to be very clear,&#8221; Walz continued. &#8220;These are horrific crimes. They often are.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597996\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/alleged-cuban-influence-operative-family-federal-custody-after-rubio-revokes-legal-status\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>ALLEGED CUBAN INFLUENCE OPERATIVE, FAMILY IN FEDERAL CUSTODY AFTER RUBIO REVOKES LEGAL STATUS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/343\/192\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/686\/384\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/672\/378\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1344\/756\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/931\/523\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1862\/1046\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/720\/405\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1440\/810\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1200\/675\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Tim Walz speaking\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a debate at the CBS Broadcast Center Oct. 1, 2024, in New York City.<\/span> <span>(Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Walz also said Vang&#8217;s pardon was not about <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597997\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/another-day-dc-another-amnesty-deal-attempt-illegal-immigrants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">immigration policy<\/a>, noting that the Board of Pardons had denied clemency to other applicants facing immigration-related consequences.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Vang&#8217;s deportation Friday, telling Fox News Digital: &#8220;Americans should never have to live in fear that foreign sex predators \u2014 shielded from deportation by their own elected officials \u2014 could endanger them or their children.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;That&#8217;s why I terminated his legal status in the United States,&#8221; Rubio continued. &#8220;Vang has now been removed from our country and will never pose a threat to any American ever again.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597998\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/illegal-immigrant-soccer-coach-used-alcohol-drugs-sexually-abuse-kids-gets-30-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SOCCER COACH WHO USED ALCOHOL AND DRUGS TO SEXUALLY ABUSE KIDS LEARNS FATE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/343\/192\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/686\/384\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/672\/378\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1344\/756\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/931\/523\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1862\/1046\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/720\/405\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1440\/810\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1200\/675\/marco-rubio-us-embassy-new-delhi-fox-news-001.jpeg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looking on during embassy dedication ceremony\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a dedication ceremony for an annex building at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi on May 23, 2026.<\/span> <span>(Julia Demaree Nikhinson\/AFP)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Fox News Digital previously reported that Vang admitted to repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl over a period of several years beginning when she was 10 years old.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Vang entered the United States through California in 1994 and was granted legal status during the Clinton administration. Between 2002 and 2004, he repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim in <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_597999\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/minneapolis-st-paul\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">St. Paul, Minnesota<\/a>. The first assault occurred when she was in the fourth grade. After his conviction, federal officials said Vang lost legal status and was placed under a final removal order.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The Minnesota Clemency Review Commission recommended a pardon for Vang. The Board of Pardons \u2014 made up of Walz, <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_598000\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/attorney-general\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Attorney General Keith Ellison<\/a> and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson \u2014 later granted the pardon.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The pardon drew criticism from federal immigration officials and Republican lawmakers. Walz defended the decision by citing the victim\u2019s support for Vang\u2019s pardon, among other factors, according to KSTP. A spokesperson for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison\u2019s office told MPR News that the pardon did not protect Vang from deportation.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">At the time, Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis criticized the decision.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Governor Tim Walz&#8217;s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting,&#8221; Bis said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_598001\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/topic\/sanctuary-cities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Minnesota sanctuary politicians<\/a> are protecting,&#8221; she added.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz&#8217;s office for additional comment.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><i>Fox News Digital&#8217;s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz publicly defended his vote to pardon \u00a0a Laotian national who had been under a final removal order after losing legal status following a child-sex-crime conviction convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a 10-year-old girl after the Trump administration deported him to Laos&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/tim-walz-tom-homan.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7360\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}