Treat our Hmong and Lao neighbors with the respect they deserve
Recently, Congresswoman Betty McCollum shared a letter that she had sent to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticizing a potential agreement between the United States and the Government of Laos. This potential agreement will expedite the deportation of Hmong and Lao Minnesotans who have committed a crime at some point in their lives; in many cases, decades ago. These crimes have not defined the lives of these individuals who have by and large lived peaceful, respectful, and successful lives in our communities. Many of these were the actions of young adults living in challenging times as they worked to adjust to life in the United States. And, many have successfully adjusted, grown up and become valued and contributing members to our community.
These Minnesotans, who came to the United States as refugees fleeing from the vicious recriminations of the communist Lao government following the end of the Vietnam war, were among those heroes who fought for the United States as part of the Secret War in Laos.
American lives were saved by the actions of these brave Hmong and Lao. In the disarray of the American retreat, they were abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Only those who risked everything to cross the Mekong River, with horrific casualties, successfully made it to the refugee camps in Thailand; which is where they were when the United States finally accepted our responsibility and allowed them and their families to immigrate as refugees to the United States.
The extraordinary contributions of the Hmong and Lao Americans to Saint Paul, to Ramsey County, indeed to the United States, should not be allowed to be forgotten. Saint Paul’s schools were losing enrollment, closing schools, and laying off teachers. The Hmong and Lao migration reversed that trend. Storefronts were going empty on University Avenue, Arcade, Payne and more. Hmong, Lao and other later immigrants saw the empty storefronts as entrepreneurial opportunities and small businesses filled them in. First a handful, then dozens, then hundreds, and now thousands of homes were purchased for full market value by the education-driven, family-centered, and hardworking immigrants. This allowed longtime residents to achieve full value for their homes when they retired, moved, or died. The income and property taxes, combined with the sales taxes paid by these families have totaled millions of dollars over the decades.
In short, the migration to Saint Paul beginning in the mid-’70s and accelerating with the subsequent secondary migrations benefitted the City of Saint Paul as well as the surrounding Ramsey County.
As Ramsey County Sheriff, my responsibility is to enforce our laws. But also, to promote justice and challenge injustice. A DWI from 25 years ago, or other crimes for which the punishment was long ago served, does not merit the delayed, disproportionate punishment of deportation of legal, permanent residents to a country that is hostile and would be another betrayal of our wartime allies.
I join Congresswoman McCollum in standing up for our Hmong and Lao American neighbors. I support her in urging the Trump administration to treat these Hmong and Lao members of our community with the respect that they deserve as allies of the United States of America and end this double jeopardy.
Bob Fletcher
The author is Ramsey County Sheriff and has worked actively in the Hmong American community for nearly 30 years.
