Who is Tu Louis Fang? Pardon for sex offender facing deportation in Minnesota
A Hmong immigrant who was scheduled to be deported after being convicted of child sex abuse has been granted a full pardon by the Minnesota Board of Pardons. The controversial decision was criticized by the Department of Homeland Security and federal immigration officials, who accused state leadership of protecting a violent offender.The board includes Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, who voted to expunge 42-year-old Tu Lu Fang’s criminal record on June 10. The decision prevented his removal from the country, which US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed was scheduled to take place after just one week.
U-shaped migration
Federal authorities reacted angrily to the decision. They claimed it was an attempt by Democratic leadership to subvert federal immigration enforcement.Acting Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Loren Pace condemned the decision.“Governor Tim Walz’s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted of a child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting. These are the criminal illegal aliens he and Minnesota politicians are protecting.”Federal officials noted that Vang’s deportation only recently became viable due to a shift in diplomatic relations in 2025 with Laos, which agreed to accept deportees after nearly two decades of refusal.
ICE detailed the seriousness of Vang’s record on the social media platform
“
Condemnation and “cultural” justification.
Fang arrived in the United States from a Thai refugee camp in 1994 and gained legal status under the Clinton administration. However, this status was revoked after he was arrested for repeatedly assaulting a 10-year-old girl between 2002 and 2004.According to police reports cited by the Department of Homeland Security, Fang tried to offer the child ten dollars to buy her silence. When interrogated by investigators, he tried to justify his actions by claiming that “for him, getting married and having sex with girls as young as 12 is cultural.” He further claimed that the victim is equally responsible and should also face arrest.Vang eventually took a plea deal, pleading guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, allowing him to avoid prison time.
A federal immigration judge subsequently issued a final order for his deportation on October 31, 2006.
A plea for a second chance
Vang’s successful clemency application relied heavily on claims of full rehabilitation since completing probation in 2019. In his letter to the board, Vang said he was a changed man who worked as a cashier and machine operator to support his six children.“My past actions – while very unfortunate – do not reflect the man I am today.
Since my conviction, I have committed myself to living an honest, responsible, and community-focused life. “I have worked tirelessly to rebuild the trust of my family, friends, and community,” Fang wrote. He added, “The shame and remorse I carry — especially as my children have grown up and learned about my past — are profound.” If it were possible to undo what happened, I would have done so without hesitation.
But I can’t change the past. “What I can do is ask, in all sincerity, for a second chance.”Vang also described his dilemma, noting that he was born in the Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand and no longer has any citizenship, family or ties left in Laos.
Support the victim
While Republican lawmakers, such as House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, criticized Gov. Walz for putting “violent illegal aliens before innocent Americans,” the governor’s office pointed to an unexpected source for the call. When pressed for comment, Walz’s representatives directed reporters to a letter from Fang’s victim, now an adult, expressing personal support for his pardon.Supporters of the local Hmong community and leaders of the Vang clan also vouched for him, calling him “a great role model for us” despite his past crimes. However, DHS remains unconvinced, noting that Minnesota’s leadership has a history of similar actions, including the recent pardon of another Laotian national with a record for armed robbery.
