In order to continue instilling terror and fear in our communities, the Trump administration recently ordered the deportation of Tou Lue Vang, a Hmong man living in Minnesota before his deportation to Laos. This is a part of the administration’s larger effort to carry out its “America First” agenda by demonizing communities of color.
As abolitionists, we believe in community and responsibility, not separation and punishment. Vang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and does not have surviving relatives in Laos. He has been displaced to a country where, as a Hmong person, he does not have full rights. He is isolated from his community, his wife, and his children in Minnesota. This is not rehabilitation or repair of harm. It is cruel and unjust.
We believe that our people are not disposable, even if they have caused harm. Vang committed a serious crime when he was 18 years old and has taken responsibility for the harm he caused. He lived under federal supervision for almost twenty years, while diligently building his life for the better and giving back to his community. When Vang petitioned for pardon from the state of Minnesota, his community submitted letters of support. The survivor also wrote a statement, expressing forgiveness and observing that he is a different person today. This is a testament to the community surrounding Vang and the life he created with their guidance and support. The Minnesota Board of Pardon overseeing Vang’s petition unanimously voted in favor of his pardon.
We believe in gender justice, and we understand that need to protect our communities from sexual violence, but deportation is not what keeps our communities safe. Building healthy communities, keeping families together, and providing community accountability and rehabilitation is what keeps us safe. We stand in the belief that survivors get a say in what justice looks like for them. The survivor’s statement carried a significant impact on the board’s decision. Writing an impact statement and granting forgiveness are not easy tasks, and the survivor demonstrated courage, power, and the practice of choice as part of her own healing and reclamation. Trump took her agency away. In his act to override the pardon, he stole what justice means for survivors.
Trump is invalidating the power and protections of Minnesota in order to wage his violent agenda. We have seen how it cherry-picks who is considered “violent criminals” and who is worthy of second chances. This is not about protecting America from violent criminals; this is about rewarding only those who are loyal to this administration. This is the deterioration of democracy. We have not forgotten that on January 6, 2021, rioters brought violence upon the Capitol to dispute a fair election. When Trump came back into office, he granted pardons to those individuals because he considered them loyal to his agenda.
We are people, not political pawns. This is why our effort to pass the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act is vital. We must use every strategy available to us for our people to stay– to build their lives, learn from their mistakes, and repair any harms they caused with the guidance and support of their communities, not separated from them.