Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has granted a pardon to Jai Vang, a Laotian national who was convicted in October 1994 of aiding and abetting armed robbery when he was 18 years old. The decision follows federal immigration authorities taking Vang into custody on May 14 for deportation to Laos.
Vang was arrested and convicted in Hennepin County, Minnesota, during the incident that occurred when he was a minor. After serving his sentence, he moved to Minnesota where he built a family and established a painting and carpentry business.
During the hearing, Governor Walz described Vang as a U.S. citizen despite Vang’s Laotian nationality and federal immigration status.
Walz convened a special meeting of the Minnesota Board of Pardons on May 27 after receiving notice from federal immigration officials that Vang would be deported in June. The board, composed of Walz, Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, and Attorney General Keith Ellison, unanimously granted the pardon following a recommendation from the Clemency Review Commission.
The pardon sets aside Vang’s 1994 conviction and removes many of its long-term consequences. Reports indicate that Vang has not committed any new crimes since his release and has been actively engaged in Minnesota society for over two decades. This action was taken amid federal immigration enforcement operations targeting criminal noncitizens, including Operation Metro Surge in the Minneapolis area.
