Somphet Naenphan/Laos/Homicide, Aggravated Assault

Laotian national Somphet Naenphan, 43, has been identified in public materials as a criminal illegal alien from Laos with serious violent convictions, including homicide-related conduct and aggravated assault with a gun against a non-family victim. Posts shared by Michigan political figures describe him as having been arrested in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later held in ICE custody as one of the “worst of the worst” offenders targeted for removal from the state.

According to reporting that cites Department of Homeland Security summaries, Naenphan has a final order of removal from an immigration judge, and his record of attempted murder and aggravated assault has been used by federal officials to highlight the risks posed by violent criminal illegal aliens. Commentary around his case focuses on the tension between advocates critical of immigration detention in Michigan and those arguing that individuals with homicide and aggravated assault histories, like Naenphan, should remain in custody until they can be deported.