Several “heinous” criminal illegal immigrants from Laos, including a gang member who obstructed a murder investigation, pedophiles and drug traffickers, have been deported back to Southeast Asia.
The 12 Laotian nationals had final orders of removal placed on them by a federal immigration judge, some as early as 2003, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday.
“Obstructing a murder investigation, child sex crimes, and drug trafficking: These were just a few of the crimes these heinous illegal aliens committed in our country,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. “Now—thanks to the brave men and women of ICE law enforcement—these barbaric criminals are OUT of our county and can no longer prey on American citizens.”
The roundup is part of a targeted effort by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to find and deport the “worst of the worst” as well as illegal immigrants who already have deportation orders but were somehow never sent home.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, America is no longer a safe haven for the world’s criminals,” McLaughlin added. “Despite a historic number of injunctions from activist judges, ICE continues to remove criminal illegal aliens from America’s streets.”
The Trump administration has arrested more than 300,000 criminal illegal aliens since President Donald Trump took office in January, said Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, during a news briefing earlier this week.
DHS shared a clip from the news briefing and those recently arrested on social media, adding: “President Trump and @Sec_Noem have empowered our heroic ICE agents to protect American citizens against the WORST OF THE WORST.”
Nearly 70 percent of those arrests are criminal aliens with criminal charges or prior convictions.
“This is success all around,” Leavitt said in the press briefing aired by FOX News. “This is removing the most dangerous public safety threats from America’s communities and returning these individuals to their home countries.”
The New York Times reported this week that the number of people in immigration detention reached a new high of more than 60,000, breaking a modern record that was set during the first Trump administration.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons also appeared on FOX News’ “America Reports” to explain the numbers.
“ICE doesn’t hold people punitively; we hold them to remove them,” Lyons told anchor John Roberts. “…We still have to make sure they get their due process and their time in court and that’s why you’re seeing this number go up.”
Lyons said ICE isn’t going to have a catch and release policy like the agency had under President Joe Biden.
“If that federal judge orders that person deported, we’ll remove them but we’re going to keep them in custody to ensure they get their full due process but they follow the immigration law,” Lyons said.
When asked how ICE officials are tackling the problem in light of the fact an estimated 10 million illegal immigrants entered the country since 2021, Lyons said, “We have a long way to go. You can see that just by the numbers.”
Of the 10 million, 1.5 million who are in the country illegally have final orders of removal, so ICE is focused on finding them as well as removing “bad actors” with criminal charges or convictions.
“Those are the ones who have already seen a judge, already had their due process, already been ordered removed and deported, so we can get them to their home country quicker,” Lyons said.
The Laotian nationals are a good example of ICE tracking down people with final orders of removal yet were allowed to remain in the country, some for decades.
According to DHS, those recently deported include:
- Sai Vang, 39, convicted of aiding and obstructing an investigation of first-degree murder. Known gang member of the “Masters of Destruction.”
- Sokhorn Ngem, 56, convicted of first degree criminal sexual conduct and distributing sexually explicit material to a minor.
- Lue Kong, 43, convicted for first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under 13 years old.
- Seng Khang, 38, convicted for third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child between the ages of 13 to 15.
- Wa Kong Lor, 44, convicted for breaking and entering vehicle to steal property; controlled substance-deliver/manufacture (cocaine, heroin or another narcotic) less than 50 grams; and weapons felony firearm.
- Su Yang, 47, convicted of robbery in Toledo, Ohio.
- Fue Yang, 45, convicted for breaking and entering vehicle to steal property, second-degree home invasion, unlawful driving away motor vehicle, and receiving and concealing stolen property.
- Soun Vongrasamy, 64, convicted for cocaine-related offenses with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a park.
- Bounthavy Phenglavanh, 45, convicted for the delivery or manufacturing of ecstasy.
- Pang Ngia Hang, 53, convicted for bank fraud.
- Sengaroun Phenglavanh, 47, convicted for the delivery or manufacturing of ecstasy/MDMA, weapons felony firearm, and controlled substance possession.
- Phouvanh Manivong, 51, convicted for felony attempted larceny and felony grand larceny.
DHS continues to encourage self-deportations by offering $1,000 cash assistance and free travel for illegal immigrants who want a chance to possibly come back to the country legally.
