Southeast Asian immigrant deportation has devastating, community-wide impact

On August 21st, Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative (CVIIC) hosted their Regional Conference and featured a session about the Southeast Asian immigration experience. A recent study by USC Equity Research Institute showed that ICE arrests increased tenfold among the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in 2025. This startling trend underscores the need for Southeast Asian nonprofits to be an integral part of immigration advocacy discussions and the importance of increasing public support of the Southeast Asian immigrant community. As Fresno DRIVE works to create an economy for all, local inclusion efforts for marginalized communities facing unlawful deportations must continue to be amplified.

In 1996, immigration legal expansions made aggravated felonies deportable offenses, including retroactively, indelibly harming the Southeast Asian community with the intersection of criminal and immigration law known as crimmigration. With decades old criminal convictions, Southeast Asian refugees, who had taken accountability and transformed their lives by investing in their families and communities, were deported. This had widespread impact, affecting the mental, physical and financial well-being of the local Southeast Asian immigrant community. “All the affected community members have taken accountability,” said Founder/Director of Cal Defense Nkauj lab Yang. “This is double punishment. They have already served their time, and it punishes their families.”

At the session, moderated by Fresno DRIVE Senior Program Officer julie vue, three panelists: Vicki Khampa from Fresno Immigrant and Refugee Ministries (FIRM); David Bouttavon, Program Director of Laotian American Community of Fresno (LACF) and Nkauj lab Yang share their perspectives on the current state of immigration for the Southeast Asian community. The three panelists underscored that the impact on the community has far-reaching effects beyond the detainments and deportations of individuals. “We know our community members are being surveilled individually and collectively, and it is unjust,” Nkauj lab said. Due to these fear-mongering tactics, some community members are reluctant to sign up for Medi-Cal, which has affected access to equitable health care.

There are also economic disparities that are born out of deportations. After decades of establishing themselves in the U.S, often, people who are deported do not have any social or economic ties to their country of origin. For example, in Laos, deportees cannot buy a car or house or start a business, without a connection to a Laos citizen, which severely minimizes their ability to financially provide for themselves. As a result, family members in the U.S. have to not only supplement lost income from a deported primary income earner but also secure additional funds to support their deported family members.

A recent tragedy, attributed to ICE deportation, is the tragic death of Pang Nhia Hang Bailey in June 2026. Pang’s death underscores the harrowing reality of being deported to a country where one has no roots. She was a Hmong woman born in Laos in 1972, who came to the U.S at 5 years old, as a refugee, when a war in Southeast Asia displaced her and her family. Pang lived in the U.S. for over 46 years, raising three children with her husband of more than 30 years. At 53, with no history of violent or dangerous offenses, she was detained by ICE and deported to Laos, a country she had no ties to. Without access to health care and her Type 2 diabetes medications, Pang died at the age of 54.

The panelists hope that the CVIIC conference and session will encourage expanding coalition building to include Southeast Asian representation into broader immigration advocacy convenings. “I love that all of us here are standing in solidarity. Detainments and deportations will escalate, and we need to tie in ways in which we work together,” Nkauj lab said. “My hope is that this session inspires opportunities to build across community so we can truly create a Central Valley where we know everyone belongs.”

David echoes this sentiment and hopes the session inspires other immigration advocates to learn more about the immigration issues faced by the Southeast Asian community. “I’m hopeful that this session launches more discussions into what the Southeast Asian community deals with immigration-wise and that it is followed up with outreach to our coalition to include us at the table. Our plight is the same as other immigrant communities, and it will take everyone helping to advance change.”

What is needed to advocate for Southeast Asian immigrant community members is the ability to “bridge power to strengthen the movement.” “Narrative has to be inclusive of all,” julie said. “Author Heather McGhee says, ‘we all suffer when one community suffers,’ and Southeast Asian crimmigration is an issue that impacts everyone.”

There are many volunteer opportunities to support Southeast Asian immigration advocacy efforts. Current areas of need include pro bono legal services, partnerships for detention support services and hotline volunteers.

To learn more about supporting the local Southeast Asian immigrant community, please:

• Email Nkauj lab at niyang@caldef.org

• Visit lacfresno.org or email David at david@lacfresno.org

• Visit firminc.org/volunteer or email Vicki at vicki@firminc.org

For more information about CVIIC and how to get involved or to donate, please visit www.cviic.org.