Under pressure from the Trump Administration to deport Hmong, Lao, Khmu, Mien and other ethnic groups who have heritage to Laos, the process has begun for folks with removal orders back to Laos. In addition, the U.S. State Department confirmed that USAID is funding a reintegration program in Laos for deported individuals who do not speak Lao or have family connections — an indication that even former refugees with no ties to Laos will be included in this deportation goal.

LITH along with partners orgs across the country stand firm in our position that immigrants and refugees should not be deported without due process or human rights considerations - especially for those who have already served their time.

For those in our community who are impacted, we urge you to take the following steps to protect you and your families:

1.) All individuals who currently live in the United States with deportation orders to Laos should contact organizations in your state or the regions closest to you for assistance.

2.) All individuals who are green card holders who are facing criminal convictions should talk to their lawyer about deportation consequences.

3.) Those seeking advocacy support for detentions and deportations can also access this resistance toolkit.

Individuals facing deportation to Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam can also access the Southeast Asian Raids website at www.searaids.org for additional resources, or call (415) 952-0413 for free legal advice.

For more info on organizations serving and advocating on this issue, visit searac.org