Minnesota Lawmakers Urge State Action as Hmong Face Deportation to Laos

(ST. PAUL) Minnesota lawmakers and Hmong community leaders are urging state officials to step in as deportations of Hmong Minnesotans to Laos increase under federal pressure and new cooperation from Lao authorities. In July and August 2025, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested and deported multiple Hmong residents, including at least four cases that drew wide public attention, according to community groups. Advocates say many of those removed have lived in the United States for decades, built families in Minnesota, and have little or no ties to Laos.

At a news conference in St. Paul on August 18, 2025, MN8 and allied organizations called for state and federal intervention, describing trauma in homes where one parent was taken into custody and children were left behind. The Minnesota Asian Pacific Caucus said it has asked state leaders, including the governor’s office, to press Washington for a halt to deportations and seek federal relief for Hmong Minnesotans with old criminal records.

What’s changed: enforcement and Laos’ cooperation

Community lawyers and state refugee officials say the pattern reflects two overlapping shifts:

• Tougher federal enforcement against non-citizen refugees with criminal convictions.
• A change in Laos’ stance on accepting deportees; for years Laos often refused to issue travel papers, and removal orders sat unenforced. That has changed.

As of August 21, 2025, deportations are ongoing, with ICE citing convictions—even those from decades ago—as grounds for removal.

“If you haven’t become a U.S. citizen, you are at risk of deportation … and what we’ve seen with the arrest of Hmong individuals is they had been ordered deported based on past criminal convictions. One of the differences is, in the past, some countries have been reluctant, have not accepted deportees, and that is changing under pressure from the current administration.”
— Jennifer Stohl Powell, executive director, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

Legal aid groups warn families: refugee status does not shield someone from deportation if a crime is classified under immigration law as a deportable offense.

ICE has not announced a special operation aimed at Hmong Minnesotans, but officials say public safety is the priority and federal law requires removal for certain offenses. In practical terms, this means people who never naturalized—and who have convictions that trigger immigration penalties—can be detained, processed for travel documents, and put on planes once Laos confirms acceptance. The agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations details its mandate and contact channels at https://www.ice.gov/ero.

Community response and impacts on families

Advocacy groups MN8, Hmong American Partnership, and the Coalition of Asian American Leaders have amplified families’ stories to explain what deportation now looks like on the ground.

• Immediate family impacts
  • Parents removed from homes after years of steady work and rehabilitation.
  • U.S.-born children left with sudden loss of income and care.
  • Spouses scrambling for legal help and emergency support.
• Harsh choices for families
  • Some consider uprooting children to move to a country where they do not speak the language.
  • Others try to keep kids in Minnesota schools, relying on extended relatives.

In line with national coverage from VisaVerge.com, advocates say the faster pace of removals has startled families who believed old cases were no longer a threat. Community leaders stress that many affected people completed sentences long ago, stayed out of trouble, and built strong ties in Minnesota. They argue deportation is a harsh second penalty, especially for crimes from youth or nonviolent drug offenses like marijuana possession, which remains illegal at the federal level.

Lawmakers in the Minnesota Asian Pacific Caucus have sent letters and made public statements urging the administration to pause deportations to Laos and explore relief options. They want federal officials to consider rehabilitation and family impact when deciding whether to move forward with removal. So far, there have been no new federal legislative protections enacted in 2025 for Hmong or Southeast Asian refugees.

Legal context and the deportation process

Legal experts emphasize a blunt point: only U.S. citizenship blocks removal in these cases. Refugees and lawful permanent residents can still be deported if they have convictions that meet immigration law criteria for deportability. As Laos now more often issues travel documents, the removal timeline speeds up. Appeals remain, but they are limited once a deportable offense is on the record.

Here is how the current process generally unfolds, according to legal aid groups and community organizations:

1. ICE identifies a non-citizen with a qualifying criminal conviction and a final order of removal.
2. Detention and notice: The person may be detained and given notice of deportation; lawyers can pursue motions or limited appeals depending on the case.
3. Travel documents: Laos now more frequently approves travel documents, which can quickly clear the way for departure.

Minnesota’s Resettlement Programs Office and community nonprofits have responded with education and legal support. They:

• Teach refugees about immigration risks attached to criminal convictions.
• Refer people to attorneys for case reviews.
• Advise eligible residents to seek U.S. citizenship as soon as possible to avoid future removal.

That guidance has taken on new urgency as people with long-pending orders are now being placed on flights.

Human cost and community consequences

The human cost is heavy:

• Deportees may face language barriers, lack of family support, and fear of mistreatment in Laos.
• Families in Minnesota must decide whether to split or relocate.
• Children worry about losing a parent, a home, and their school routine.
• Employers lose workers with deep local experience.
• Faith leaders and counselors report increased anxiety and grief in Hmong neighborhoods.

The broader Hmong story in Minnesota stretches back to the fallout of the Vietnam War, when Hmong families resettled after assisting U.S. forces in Laos. Over time, the Twin Cities became home to one of the largest Hmong communities in the country. For decades, deportations to Laos were rare, in part because Lao officials declined to accept returnees. The newer diplomatic posture has upended that reality, contributing to the spike in 2024–2025 removals.

Advocacy, policy proposals, and outlook

Advocates have pushed for Congress to:

• Create a path to relief for long-term residents with old or minor convictions.
• Allow case-by-case waivers that account for rehabilitation and family unity.

Those proposals had not passed as of August 2025. Litigation and public pressure may shape the next steps, but lawyers say immediate relief is uncertain for people already under final orders.

Resources and immediate actions for families

Community groups urge anyone at risk to talk to an immigration attorney right away. Quick legal review can determine if a motion is possible, whether travel documents are pending, or if other relief exists. For people who are eligible to naturalize, attorneys recommend starting the process without delay.

Practical contacts shared by community groups:

• Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota: (651) 641-1011
• MN8: [email protected]
• Minnesota Department of Human Services – Resettlement Programs Office

Community organizations can assist with:

• Referrals to attorneys
• Language help
• Emergency planning for children and caregivers if detention occurs

Key takeaway: Without citizenship, Hmong Minnesotans with old deportation orders face renewed exposure as Laos cooperates with U.S. removals and ICE executes the law. Families, advocates, and lawmakers are pushing for pauses, relief, and legislative fixes, but immediate protections remain limited.