Minnesota’s Clemency Decision Draws Fire

Minnesota’s governor, attorney general, and top state judge unanimously wiped away the felony conviction of a man who raped a 10-year-old girl, only to watch federal agents deport him anyway weeks later.

Story Snapshot

The Minnesota Board of Pardons voted 3-0 on June 10, 2026, to fully pardon Tou Lue Vang, convicted in 2006 of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.
Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson all signed off on the pardon.
The pardon erased the conviction behind Vang’s 2006 deportation order, but Trump administration officials deported him anyway.
The Department of Homeland Security blasted the move as “MINNESOTA MADNESS,” and Republicans piled on.
The same board rejected four other sex-offender pardon requests this year, three of them also facing deportation.

Unanimous Vote Clears Convicted Rapist’s Record

The Minnesota Board of Pardons voted unanimously on June 10, 2026, to grant Tou Lue Vang a full pardon for his 2006 convictions of strongarm sodomy and procuring a child for prostitution. Vang, an immigrant from Laos, had been set for imminent deportation before the board acted. Wiping out the felony erased the legal foundation of his removal order, at least on paper.

Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson each cast a “yes” vote. Board members reviewed a forgiveness letter from the now-adult victim before deciding. Minnesota’s Clemency Review Commission had already recommended the pardon without a second hearing, citing “immigration concerns” alongside rehabilitation as reasons for clearing Vang’s record.

Federal Government Steps In Where Minnesota Wouldn’t

The Department of Homeland Security did not accept Minnesota’s decision as the final word. Officials revoked Vang’s status and deported him back to Laos, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming the removal. Ellison himself admitted the original 2006 removal order stayed in place and that the Trump administration could restart deportation proceedings whenever it wanted.

Homeland Security fired back hard, releasing a statement headlined “MINNESOTA MADNESS” that called the pardon “disgusting” and accused Minnesota of protecting “criminal illegal aliens” through sanctuary-style politics. The agency highlighted Vang’s own comment during the case blaming the 10-year-old victim, a detail that only deepened public anger over the board’s decision.

Walz Struggles To Explain His Reasoning

Asked to justify the pardon, Walz offered little clarity. A transcript from the hearing shows him saying, “Look, in this country, I am the most vocal of what happening around because it absolutely outrageous,” before trailing into fragmented, unclear remarks. No public record shows Walz or the board citing January 6 defendants as a reason for the pardon, despite that claim circulating in some conservative commentary.

Board’s Own Record Shows a Double Standard

The board’s choice looks even harder to defend next to its own recent record. This year alone, the same panel rejected at least four pardon requests from people convicted of sex offenses, three of whom were also facing deportation. That pattern raises an obvious question: why did Vang’s case get treated differently than nearly identical ones?

Backlash Grows From Both Sides

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer tore into the decision, calling it “feckless” and accusing Minnesota leaders of putting “violent illegal aliens ahead of innocent Americans”. The criticism didn’t stay confined to politics. Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt publicly ripped into Walz for defending the pardon after Vang’s deportation became public, adding an unexpected voice to the growing chorus of outrage.

Spencer Pratt is ripping into Gov. Tim Walz after Walz defended the pardon of a convicted child rapist who was later deported by the Trump administration.

"If you find yourself defending a child molester… you probably need to have your hard drives checked," Pratt posted on X.… pic.twitter.com/BB8uBMvNRb

— Mike Netter (@nettermike) July 19, 2026

Minnesota’s own reporting confirmed the deportation went forward last month, despite the board’s apparent goal of keeping Vang in the country. For families who trust elected officials to put child victims first, the episode raises a simple, uncomfortable question: why did three of Minnesota’s top officials vote to protect a convicted child rapist from consequences the federal government ultimately enforced anyway?