Southeast Asians and Mass Deportation: A Timeline

As of November 2024, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s list of noncitizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final orders of removal, there are 1,445,549 noncitizens on the list. Of those numbers, there are 1,747 Cambodians, 4,850 Lao, and 8,675 Vietnamese. Additional Trace Reports data shows even higher numbers, up to 10,500 Vietnamese, over 5,000 Lao, and over 2,000 Cambodians. ***Hmong, Mien, and other SE Asian ethnic community members from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and are just as impacted***

The timeline gives information on key events and policies that affect these individuals.

Timeline last updated: July 15, 2025

1954-1975
The U.S. intervenes in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to counter communism through military actions and covert operations.​ The U.S. heavily bombs Laos, making it the most bombed country in history, with over 580,000 missions. Unexploded ordnance continues to cause injuries and deaths.​ The U.S. bombs Cambodia, destabilizing the government and contributing to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, leading to the genocide of 2 million people.​

1975
The Fall of Saigon ends the American conflict in Vietnam and leads to the displacement of millions of refugees from Southeast Asia. The U.S. later resettled 1.2 million Southeast Asian refugees between 1975 and 2008 (the largest refugee resettlement in U.S. history)

1980s - 1990s
The majority of Southeast Asian refugees face poverty, discrimination, language and employment barriers, and trauma from war. Many were resettled in underfunded communities with limited resources. Expansion of the War on Drugs, the 1994 Crime Bill, and over-policing disproportionately impacted Southeast Asian American communities, leading to high incarceration rates among its youth and a growth in U.S. mass incarceration.

1995
Vietnam and the U.S. normalize relationships and agree to become political and economic allies (July 11, 1995) This opens the door for negotiations between the two countries that reach more broadly to include issues of immigration and deportation. This becomes a future distinction for a category of Vietnamese considered “Pre 95”.

1996
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) expands deportable offenses, applying them retroactively and increasing deportation risks.​ Non-citizens who commit certain crimes (aggravated felonies) are deportable. The law also expanded the types of crimes that count as aggravated felonies. IIRAIRA defines an aggravated felony as any crime that carries a sentence of one year or more. This is even retroactive so crimes from the past count.
*Noncitizens means legal permanent residents (green card holders) and undocumented persons (expired visa, unauthorized border crossing, etc.).

Effects of the IIRIRA
SE Asian Americans convicted of aggravated felonies are released from prison and given final orders of removal for deportation. Those with past aggravated felony(ies) are given notice that they have an order of removal. Individuals sent to immigration detention for deportation. Vietnam did not recognize Vietnamese refugees as citizens of their country and refused to accept them as deportees. Cambodia and Laos have a similar stance. International deportation laws state that someone cannot be deported if the country does not accept them. Some are held in immigration detention for years in limbo (being deportable by the U.S. but Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos not accepting them).

2001
A lawsuit was successful in protecting those detained in immigration detention from being held indefinitely. The Zadvydas Supreme Court decision limits to 180 days in detention and required release if the U.S. government cannot deport someone in the foreseeable future. SE Asian Americans who were entangled in the immigration detention system were released and signed “waivers” accepting their final order of removal. They came home and had Orders of Supervision (OSUP) where they check in with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) on a regular basis. ***one of the persons in the lawsuit is Cambodian Kim Ho Ma.

2002
Under the GW Bush Administration, U.S. and Cambodia signed a Repatriation Agreement, leading to a 366% increase in Cambodian deportations the following year.

2008
After the GW Bush Administration and Vietnam entered into bilateral trade agreements in 2001, the U.S. began to pressure Vietnam to take Vietnamese deportees. The U.S. and Vietnam came to an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) that Vietnam will not take Vietnamese American deportees if they arrived in the U.S. before July 12, 1995 (they are considered asylum refugees). These individuals become a category commonly understood as “Pre 95”. Those who came after 1995 are not considered asylum refugees and were deportable. This agreement became commonly known as the 2008 MOU.

2000s to 2017
SE Asian Americans with final orders of removal were not targeted in massive arrests and detentions during this period due to diplomatic, legal, and enforcement-related factors including limited resources for enforcement and more lenient government guidelines that take into consideration refugee status, long time residency in the U.S. and family separation.

2017
Under the Trump Administration, Executive Order 13768 expands deportation priorities to include all noncitizens individuals with removal orders, regardless of how long they had lived in the U.S. or whether they posed a threat. The Trump Administration pressures Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to accept more deportees, threatening visa sanctions on countries that refuse. Vietnam begins accepts some pre 1995 deportees despite the 2008 MOU. Cambodian deportations increased by over 280%, with the largest single deportation flight of Cambodian Americans. ICE intensified raids and arrests of Southeast Asian refugees, particularly those with old criminal records, many of whom had already served their sentences and successfully reintegrated into their communities.

2018
A class action lawsuit was successful in stopping the deportation of pre 1995 Vietnamese refugees. For full history and details of the lawsuit (Trinh vs Homan). For details, visit the Asian Law Caucus website resource.

2020
Chhoeun v. Marin is a class action lawsuit challenging ICE’s sudden re-detention of Cambodian Americans with decades-old final removal orders. Argument was that ICE violated their due process rights by arresting them without notice or opportunity to respond, despite their compliance with release conditions. In 2020, the court issued a requirement that ICE provide at least 14 days’ written notice before any future detentions.

ICE appeals and the result of a settlement is reached:
2021-2024: Two-week notice stays in place while the two sides negotiate
2024-2025: Two-week notice stays in place during the settlement approval process
2026: Two-week notice goes away. ICE mails one-time notices to any who has removal orders

November 2020
Right before leaving office, Trump negotiates an agreement with Vietnam with a new MOU where Vietnam agrees to accept Vietnamese American deportees regardless if they are pre 1995 or not. This is a redacted copy of the 2020 MOU (redacted means some text is removed or covered up).

2021 - 2024
Deportation of Southeast Asian Americans still occurs but is minimized under the Biden Administration. Those checking in with ICE who have not violated the conditions of their OSUP(order of supervision) or ISAP (intensive supervision appearance program) are rescheduled for their next check in with no issues.

January 20, 2025
The Trump Administration runs on a promise to execute mass deportations and to expand reach of federal agencies: Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

February 13, 2025
Vietnam formally announces it will cooperate with the U.S. government to accept Vietnamese deportees regardless of being “Pre95” or not.

February 18, 2025
ICE directive instructs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers to reassess non-detained cases for potential removal. Officers are to consider re-detaining and deporting noncitizens who were previously granted protection under the Convention Against Torture or those released due to no foreseeable removal options (SLRRF). The directive encourages removal to third countries or nations that were previously uncooperative in accepting deportees (recalcitrant countries).

Collective Freedom begins collecting data on ICE check ins and arrests for SE Asian Americans. Across the U.S., there is a significant increase in ICE arrests of SE Asian Americans with final orders of removal due to old criminal convictions. Some are arrested at their regular ICE check-in appointment, some are arrested at their home or the workplace. Most of these individuals have not violated any conditions of their OSUP or ISAP.

February 20, 2025
Removal of deportees to third countries begin. The Immigration and Nationality Act allows for third country deportations if home countries refuse a deportee. BBC News reports that 9 Vietnamese nationals were deported to Panama despite Vietnam agreeing to accept Vietnamese nationals with removal orders.

February 27, 2025
Vietnam makes official statements regarding the expediency of issuing travel documents for Vietnamese nationals with final removal orders. Reuters reports that Vietnam has agreed to respond to U.S. deportation requests in 30 days. This makes the process of detaining and deporting Vietnamese with final removal orders more quickly than in the past.

February 28, 2025
Department of Homeland Security sends policy memo to USCIS. The memo instructs USCIS that it will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement, which includes referring cases to ICE and issuance of NTA (Notice to Appear). USCIS begins to issue widespread NTAs and is given full discretionary powers to accept or reject cases for all cases of removable aliens, including those applying for asylum.

March 2025
ICE entered approximately 700,000 administrative warrants into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. This has implications for both ICE and state and local law enforcement agencies that alert and coordinate with ICE when they encounter non-citizens with immigration holds. Announcements of how the issue is addressed from agencies such as Maryland, California, and Texas.

March, April, and May 2025
A series of Vietnamese deportations take place with approximately 30 individuals a month on commercial flights sent to Tan Son Nhat airport. A series of small group deportations on commercial flights take place to Laos. In early May, DHS and ICE attempt to deport Asian Americans including Vietnam, Laos, Burmese and Cambodia nationals to Libya. Late May, DHS and ICE deported a Vietnamese national, a Cambodian national and 2 Burmese (Myanmar) nationals to South Sudan.

May 25, 2025
The first Southeast Asian mass deportation flight departed from Prairieland, Texas, with 65 deportees from Laos and 93 deportees from Vietnam. The Laos deportees landed in Vientiane. The Vietnam deportees landed in Hanoi.

June 4, 2025
The Trump Administration places Laos on a partial travel ban list, increasing pressure on the Laos government to accept more deportees.

June and July 2025
A series of Vietnamese in ICE detention facilities filed Zadvydas habeas petitions and granted temporary release from detention until ICE can obtain travel documents for these individuals.
Nguyen vs. Hyde in Massachusetts
Phan vs Becerra in California
Hoac vs Becerra in California
ICE raids in California increase the number of Southeast Asians being detained at ICE check ins, at their homes, and at their workplace. Collective Freedom’s call volume increases beyond California with a surge in reports from the South, predominantly the states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Florida. Southeast Asians call Collective Freedom from detention at Guantanamo Bay and a Vietnamese national is detained at “Alligator Alcatraz”.

July 15, 2025
A Vietnamese national and a Lao national are deported to the African nation of Eswatini.