Marco Rubio announces deportation of Minnesota man pardoned last month

A Laotian immigrant, Tou Lue Vang, who received a pardon from Minnesota officials last month for a 2006 conviction, has now been deported from the United States. The announcement came from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, drawing attention to the federal government's decision to expel Vang.

Vang, who was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a young girl between 2002 and 2004, had been living in Minnesota for nearly two decades. His deportation was previously stalled because Laos, his country of origin, initially refused to accept deportees. This refusal allowed him to remain in the US despite his conviction.

The pardon granted by state officials in June aimed to address Vang's situation, but the federal government's subsequent action has led to his removal from the country. The case highlights the complex interplay between state pardons and federal immigration enforcement.