On Wednesday, Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pardoned a criminal illegal alien convicted of armed robbery – preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from being able to use the conviction as grounds for deportation.
Jai Vang, an illegal alien from Laos, who was convicted of aiding and abetting and armed robbery in Hennepin County in 1994, was taken into ICE custody in January during its Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
Walz falsely called illegal alien Vang a “citizen” in remarks Wednesday during a ceremony where the governor announced and signed the pardon:
“I do not see how it would serve his family, nor the economic interest where we have a taxpaying citizen who is creating job growth and living a life free from any criminal activity.”
Walz claimed that Vang has been a “critical member of the community” since his release from prison, adding that he can find “no reason how Minnesota will be safer or better if Mr. Vang is deported.”
Vang’s pardon is just one of Gov. Walz’s rabid efforts to thwart federal enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws. During Operation Metro Surge, for example, he publicly vilified ICE agents, smearing them as “Modern-day Gestapo.”
On May 4, Gov. Walz pardoned another criminal illegal alien from Laos who was convicted of two counts of assault – thus, removing the criminal convictions that made the illegal alien lose his green card and removable from the U.S.
Two days later, the U.S. Department of Homeland responded with a statement titled “MINNESOTA MADNESS: Minnesota Board of Pardons Unanimously Pardons Criminal Illegal Alien Convicted of Two Counts of Assault,” exposing how Walz’s pardon eliminated the grounds for deporting a violent thug:
“On May 4, 2026, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the state Board of Pardons granted an emergency pardon to At "Ricky" Xayasounethone Chandee to prevent his imminent deportation to Laos.
“At Xayasounethone Chandee, an illegal alien from Laos, was convicted of two counts of assault in 1993. An Immigration Judge issued Chandee a final order of removal in 1995.
“Now, the Minnesota Board of Pardons’ decision could thwart his removal from the United States.
“‘The Minnesota Board of Pardons’ unanimous decision pardoning an illegal alien convicted of two counts of assault is absolute INSANITY," said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “At Chandee lost his green card following his convictions for assault. Following his criminal convictions, he was placed in removal proceedings and issued a final order of removal by a judge. Minnesota's sanctuary politicians' pardon took away this violent thug’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the U.S.’”
