Rubio Revokes Status and Deportates Pardoned Child Predator

A Laotian man convicted of sexually assaulting a child was deported from the United States on July 10, 2026, after federal authorities intervened to revoke his legal status, countering a state pardon that had temporarily halted his removal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the action, stating that Tou Lue Vang had been taken into custody by federal agents and removed from the country.

Vang, who arrived in the U.S. as a refugee in 1994, was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for repeatedly assaulting a 10-year-old girl between 2002 and 2004. He pleaded guilty as part of a deal that resulted in a stayed prison sentence, time in a county workhouse, and a lengthy probation term. Following his conviction, an immigration judge issued a final order for his removal in 2006, but his deportation was delayed for years.

On June 10, 2026, the Minnesota Board of Pardons, which includes Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, unanimously granted Vang a pardon. The board cited an exhaustive review process, including a statement of support from the victim, who wrote that she had forgiven him and wanted his family to...