Joint Statement to Support #FamiliesTogether on Hmong-Lao Veterans Memorial Day

May 14, 1975, was the last day of an airlift evacuation of soldiers and their families from a covert location in Long Tieng, Laos to the Nam Phong refugee camp in Thailand. Many Hmong community members have long honored this day to pay respect to those who have lost their lives and to recognize the sacrifices made during the wars in Southeast Asia. Approximately, 35,000 Hmong soldiers lost their lives in the Secret War in Laos protecting American troops. Today, Minnesota is home to over 80,000 Hmong Americans, one of the largest populations in the United States. 

Last year the Minnesotan Asian Pacific (MAP) Caucus championed a bill designating May 14th as Hmong-Lao Veterans Memorial Day, a state holiday to recognize Hmong veterans who served in the U.S. Vietnam War.

“It falls upon my four colleagues of Hmong descent and me to do what we can to soothe the restless spirits of America’s Secret War Veterans and their families, to give them a day of recognition for their suffering and their sacrifices,”  Representative Tou Xiong said as he referenced the importance of “[letting] people know why Hmong Americans are here.”

This month also marks the 45th anniversary of Southeast Asian resettlement to the US following the end of the Secret War in Laos, the fall of Saigon, and the Khmer Rouge genocide. Though there has been great progress for Southeast Asian communities since that time, as we recognize this milestone many communities continue to tell stories and experiences of hardship. Several organizations, including CAAL, Lao Assistance Center, Man Forward, Release MN8, and Transforming Generations have been working with families impacted by U.S. immigration removal orders who are at risk of being deported to Laos. This is the story of one individual. 

Mr. Thao’s Story: 

I came to the U.S. in 1981 at the age of 9 from a refugee camp in Thailand. The United States is my country and the only place I have ever called home. My family fled Laos due to the U.S. Secret War. After the U.S. left Southeast Asia, countless numbers of Southeast Asians were executed and persecuted for supporting the U.S. military and policies.

Many Americans were not aware of the Secret War in Laos and abandoned my people to die there. Through the kind compassion of church sponsors and veterans who kept their word, many Hmong families were able to reunite in the U.S. as refugees. We were able to rebuild our lives, despite being dropped into the poorest communities with minimal resources. We became Americans.

Just like many Americans, I made some poor decisions as a youth. I took a wrong step and became trapped within the justice system. Just like many Americans, I took responsibility for my actions and paid my debt to society. Living life with a conviction was not easy and I struggled with finding housing, a job, and the shame of my past decisions. Despite the stress and depression, I was able to start a family and rebuild my life. I had beaten the odds and closed the door on my past. Or I thought I did…  

Unlike many Americans, I was not allowed to reach my potential as a member of the community. Through technical changes in the U.S. laws over the years, and after I had already served my sentence within the justice system, the U.S. Government is now trying to attach an additional life sentence to my punishment by deporting me to Laos. 

This deportation order has shattered my world and has broken the hearts of my children. Living under the constant fear of not knowing when the government will come to deport me is traumatizing for my whole family. The government sees me as a convict, but I am and have been law-abiding for over 29 years. All I want is to keep my family together and play my role in helping our community thrive as #OneMinnesota.

After four and a half decades, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is trying to deport Hmong and other Southeast Asians back to countries where many have never stepped foot in. This action is a betrayal to our community and elders who sacrificed their lives for the U.S.

On this day, as Minnesota recognizes the contributions of Hmong people, we ask that our state, the Minnesota State Legislature, our U.S. Congressional delegation, and all Hmong leaders stand firm against deporting refugees and support policies, like Post-Conviction Relief for Minnesota, and work to change federal policies through efforts like the New Way Forward Act that help ensure refugees are included in when we look to make our immigration laws more just.

We also ask that you support Families Together, a newly formed group of impacted Hmong families fighting to end deportations of members in Southeast Asian communities. To show your support of Hmong and Southeast Asian families who are fighting this injustice, please use the hashtag#FamiliesTogether to share what your family sacrificed for America and to be together.

Sincerely,

• Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL)
• Families Together
• Hmong 18 Clan Council
• Hmong American Day Committee
• Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota
• Hmong Lao American Coalition
• Man Forward
• Release MN8
• Transforming Generations
• Siengkane Lao Minnesota
• SGU Veterans and
• Families of USA, Inc.United Senior Lao-American