DHS Deports Convicted Child Rapist Pardoned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz: 'President Trump Deported Him'

The Department of Homeland Security announced this week that ICE agents have arrested and deported a convicted child sex offender who had been pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — a move the Trump administration is highlighting as proof that federal immigration enforcement will override state-level leniency for criminal aliens.

Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national, was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2006 for crimes committed against a 10-year-old girl. He had been subject to deportation orders for years, but a pardon from Governor Walz and Minnesota's Board of Pardons had complicated his removal — until now.

The Deportation

According to a DHS statement released July 9, ICE arrested Vang and carried out his deportation after the State Department terminated his legal status in the United States.

"Minnesota Democrats pardoned a convicted child rapist. President Trump deported him," the White House said in a statement. "A convicted child sex offender is no longer in our country thanks to President Donald J. Trump and his Administration — defeating a sick system that allowed him to stay."

The State Department issued a parallel statement: "The Department of State is terminating the legal status of foreign child predators to protect American families. Tou Lue Vang admitted to committing heinous crimes against a 10-year-old child after receiving a pardon from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz."

The Pardon Controversy

The case has ignited a political firestorm, with conservative commentators and Republican officials accusing Walz — the 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee — of prioritizing leniency for a convicted child predator over public safety.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Vang raped a 10-year-old more than 20 years ago and was set to be removed from the country when he was pardoned. CBS News Minnesota reported that the pardon was "victim-backed," meaning the victim had supported the pardon decision.

However, the Trump administration and DHS have seized on the case as emblematic of what they describe as a broader pattern of Democratic officials shielding criminal aliens from federal immigration enforcement.

"Governor Walz pardoned a man who committed unspeakable crimes against a child, and that pardon would have allowed him to stay in this country," a DHS official said. "ICE and this administration made sure that didn't happen."

Walz's Office Responds

Walz's office has pushed back against the framing, noting that the pardon was granted through Minnesota's established legal process, which includes review by the Board of Pardons — a panel that includes the governor, the attorney general, and the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

"The pardon process in Minnesota is thorough, independent, and includes input from victims," a spokesperson for Walz said. "This case went through that process, and the decision was made based on the facts presented at the time."

A Pattern of Enforcement

The deportation is the latest in a series of high-profile ICE actions under the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement agenda. DHS has been publicizing deportations of convicted criminals — particularly those who received leniency from Democratic officials or sanctuary jurisdictions — as part of a broader messaging strategy.

Earlier this month, DHS announced it had delivered "13 straight months of zero releases" at the southwest border, marking a dramatic shift from the immigration policies of the previous administration.

The administration has also been pushing states to adopt "ICE masking bans" — legislation that prohibits state and local law enforcement from masking the identities of illegal aliens who are in custody — and data protection measures that prevent sanctuary jurisdictions from shielding criminal aliens from federal authorities.

The Broader Political Impact

The Walz pardon case is likely to become a flashpoint in the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in Minnesota, where Republicans are aggressively targeting the governor's record on crime and public safety.

"Tim Walz pardoned a child rapist, and President Trump deported him," said Minnesota Republican Party Chair David Hann. "Voters will remember this in November."