Marco Rubio steps in after Tim Walz pardoned illegal alien child rapist before deportation
Marco Rubio Steps In After Walz Pardoned Child Rapist
Marco Rubio steps in after Tim Walz - Marco Rubio steps in after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz granted clemency to Tue Lue Vang, a convicted child rapist, before his scheduled deportation. The Senator took action to ensure Vang would be removed from the United States despite the pardon. According to Rubio's statement to Fox News Digital, the illegal alien has now been successfully deported, meaning the clemency decision would not allow him to remain in the country.
Rubio explained that his intervention was necessary to terminate Vang's legal status and prevent any obstacles that might arise from Walz's decision. The former presidential candidate emphasized that Americans should not have to worry about foreign sex offenders who receive protection from elected officials being able to remain in the country and potentially harm families.
The Case Against Tue Lue Vang
Vang, originally from Laos, was convicted in 2006 for first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Between the years 2002 and 2004, he repeatedly assaulted a ten-year-old Minnesota girl. After his arrest, Vang told law enforcement that marrying and having sexual relations with girls as young as twelve was "a cultural thing" in his homeland.
During the legal proceedings, it emerged that Vang attempted to compensate his victim financially in exchange for her silence regarding the abuse. The severity of his crimes was clear, yet he remained in the United States and eventually received a pardon that surprised many observers.
"Tue Lue Vang admitted to committing heinous crimes against a 10-year-old girl in Minnesota. He attempted to pay his victim for her silence and dismissed his acts of child abuse as a 'minor thing.'" — Marco Rubio
Walz's Pardon and the Board of Pardons
The Minnesota Board of Pardons, which includes Governor Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison, and state Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, voted to grant Vang clemency on June 10. This decision followed a recommendation from the nine-member Minnesota Clemency Review Commission, which highlighted Vang's contributions to society since his release from prison.
A letter from a commission member to Vang noted that receiving a pardon represented "a notable achievement and a reflection of the work you have done since your conviction." Walz defended his decision by characterizing Vang as a "critical member of the community" and incorrectly referring to him as a U.S. citizen.
"I can find no reason how Minnesota will be safer or better if Mr. Vang is deported to a country he has not been to since he was a child," Walz stated regarding the convicted offender.
DHS Response and Further Context
Department of Homeland Security officials expressed strong opposition to the pardon at the time it was granted. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis described Walz's decision as "disgusting," noting that it protected a criminal illegal alien from facing deportation for his serious offenses.
"Governor Tim Walz's decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting," Bis declared. "These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting."
Rubio confirmed that Vang has now been removed from the United States and will no longer pose any threat to American citizens. The Senator emphasized that this outcome demonstrates the importance of federal oversight in immigration matters, particularly when state-level decisions might conflict with national security interests.
In May, Walz and his board had also pardoned another Laotian criminal illegal alien—a convicted armed robber—before that individual could be deported. Walz argued that deporting Vang would not serve his family or the economic interests of Minnesota, pointing to Vang's status as a taxpaying resident who was creating job growth and living without further criminal activity.
"Americans should never have to live in fear that foreign sex predators — shielded from deportation by their own elected officials — could endanger them or their children," Rubio told reporters.
Rubio concluded by stating that Vang's removal was long overdue and that his actions would prevent similar situations from undermining the deportation process in the future. The case has drawn attention to the intersection of state and federal authority in immigration enforcement and the role of pardons in potentially shielding offenders from removal proceedings.