Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz granted a pardon Wednesday to Jai Vang, a Laotian national facing deportation after a decades-old armed robbery conviction.

Vang was 18 when he committed the offense that led to his conviction. After completing his prison sentence, he remained in the United States for decades without further legal trouble.

ICE arrested Vang during Operation Metro Surge, a federal enforcement initiative in the Minneapolis area, earlier this year. He faced scheduled deportation in June when Walz intervened by convening an emergency session of Minnesota’s Clemency Review Commission.

The Clemency Decision

The commission, which included Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, unanimously voted to grant the pardon. Members cited Vang’s clean record following his release, noting he had built a family and established a painting business in the community.

“I do not see how it would serve his family, nor the economic interest where we have a taxpaying citizen who is creating job growth and living a life free from any criminal activity,” Walz said during the proceeding. Ellison, participating by phone, confirmed he had reviewed the case file and supported granting clemency.

The Wider Dispute

Walz has clashed publicly with federal immigration authorities in recent months. During Operation Metro Surge enforcement actions, Walz compared ICE agents to “modern-day Gestapo,” drawing sharp criticism from then-Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.

“If the governor doesn’t like the laws, he’s free to advocate that Congress change them, but he should refrain from putting ICE officers in danger by likening them to one of the most appalling groups in history,” Lyons said. The governor also faced pushback from federal officials after taking credit for FBI raids on businesses accused of fraud in Minneapolis last month.