Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expedited a special pardon for Jai Vang, a convicted armed robbery offender, after federal immigration agents detained him on May 14 and set his deportation to Laos in June. The decision followed a unanimous vote by the Minnesota Board of Pardons, which convened under emergency provisions following Walz’s office receiving notice of Vang’s ICE custody.

Vang was arrested at age 18 in October 1994 for aiding and abetting armed robbery in Hennepin County. His conviction was not a technical paperwork offense but a criminal adjudication from decades ago. The state pardon process, administered through the Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson and Attorney General Keith Ellison, lifted Vang’s convictions and associated consequences ahead of his scheduled deportation.

During the hearing, Walz referred to Vang as a citizen despite federal authorities classifying him as a Laotian national under immigration custody. Walz argued that removing Vang would not enhance Minnesota’s safety or well-being, emphasizing Vang’s established community ties after serving his sentence—where he built a family and launched businesses in painting and carpentry.

The pardon occurred amid Operation Metro Surge, a federal initiative targeting criminal illegal aliens in Minneapolis. Federal immigration officials had identified Vang as part of this enforcement operation, yet Walz leveraged state authority to intervene before the deportation timeline concluded. The board’s unanimous action—requiring the governor’s direct involvement—highlighted his role in prioritizing state-level clemency over federal removal proceedings.

Walz’s decision underscored a pattern where state officials act swiftly against federal immigration enforcement actions targeting individuals with prior convictions, even as federal authorities proceed with deportation efforts under named operations.