Documents obtained by Fox News Digital show that the Minnesota Board of Pardons, led by Gov. Tim Walz, granted a full pardon to Tue Lue Vang, an illegal immigrant convicted of repeatedly raping a minor. The decision followed a recommendation from the state's clemency commission, which cited "immigration concerns" as a primary reason for granting the pardon.
Vang, a national of Laos, was convicted of criminal sexual conduct for offenses occurring between 2002 and 2004, when the victim was 10 years old. He admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim multiple times. Despite the severity of the crime, four commissioners voted to recommend a pardon, citing concerns about Vang's potential deportation.
Commissioner Zach Linstrom noted that Vang had six children and that "the kids not having a father is not in the best interest of society." Another commissioner, Artika Roller, stated that "the applicant stated the need for clemency related to immigration issues."
The Minnesota Board of Pardons, comprised of Gov. Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, issued the pardon on June 10. This action effectively allowed Vang to avoid deportation.
Lauren Bis, Acting Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security, criticized the decision, calling it "disgusting" that a "child rapist" was pardoned to remain in the country. She stated, "These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting."
Vang entered the U.S. in 1994 and was granted legal status. His conviction stemmed from incidents where he repeatedly had sexual intercourse with the victim. A criminal complaint noted that Vang initially claimed the acts were a "cultural thing" and that the victim shared fault, though he later expressed shame and regret.
Despite some prosecutors recommending against a pardon due to aggravating factors, including the extended duration of the abuse and Vang's attempts to conceal his actions, several commissioners highlighted that the victim supported the pardon. Commissioner Nadine Graves wrote, "The victim supports this pardon. His [Vang’s] wife stayed and has forgiven. He also [has] immigration concerns. He has remorse and was discharged from probation."
Commissioner Perry Moriearty also cited "substantial evidence of rehabilitation, remorse and acceptance of responsibility" and noted that "victim supports" the pardon, alongside Vang's "facing deportation."
Vang himself expressed deep shame and regret for the harm he caused, writing that he feared deportation would send him to an unfamiliar place with "no family, no home, and no future." He worried his children would grow up without a father, as he did.
Subsequent to the pardon, Senator Marco Rubio announced he had terminated Vang's legal status in the U.S., leading to his removal to Laos. Rubio stated, "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."