The convicted rapist who shot two corrections officers in Fresno, Calif., last week was an illegal immigrant who was only in the U.S. because his homeland refused to take him, federal officials confirmed Wednesday.
(FOX)- Thong Vang, a 37-year-old Laotian national who completed a 16-year rape sentence two years ago and was slated for deportation, instead was freed when Laotian officials did not respond to a request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist in his removal.
“When Laotian officials failed to respond to that request, ICE released Mr. Vang in December, 2014 due to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Zadvydas v. Davis,” ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said.
The ruling Kice cited held that immigrants under order of deportation but whom no other country will accept may not be held indefinitely, absent special circumstances. Last year, 3,735 illegal immigrant criminals from Laos were ordered deported but instead freed when the country refused to cooperate.
“This is another horrifying example of the consequences of failing to push the issue of deportations with uncooperative countries,” said Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies. “Laos has been a problem for many years, and there are more than 3,700 criminals still here as a result, but still the State Department has not lifted a finger to take action against that government.
Instead, they keep issuing visas – they gave out more than 11,000 temporary visas in the last five years in Laos, despite the requirement in federal law that they impose visa sanctions on countries that won’t take back their citizens.”