Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pardons Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian immigrant convicted of sexually abusing a 10-year-old about two decades ago, clearing the way for him to avoid deportation. According to reports, Vang expresses regret for the abuse and had been slated for removal by the federal government. The pardons decision comes amid a dispute between Minnesota and the Trump administration over whether state actions prevent immigration enforcement in a case involving a serious criminal conviction. The New York Times reports that the Trump administration accuses Walz of shielding an immigrant who committed a grave crime, arguing that the pardon interferes with deportation proceedings. Fox News describes the pardon as a decision by Walz and Minnesota’s Board of Pardons that makes Vang ineligible for deportation, characterizing him as a convicted child sex offender facing removal. Both accounts agree on the core facts: Vang is the person pardoned, he has a conviction related to child sexual assault, and the pardon affects his deportation status.