Minnesota Moves to Recognise Lao War Veterans Amid Ongoing Refugee Deportations

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Lawmakers in Minnesota have unanimously passed new legislation to expand recognition and benefits for Hmong and Lao veterans who fought in the Secret War in Laos, a covert conflict linked to the Vietnam War.

The state House approved the bill with all 132 votes, building on a 2025 law that established the official “Veteran of the Secret War in Laos” designation. The new measure creates a formal application process, allowing eligible veterans to access state-level benefits.

The bill is not yet enacted and remains pending further action in the Minnesota Senate.

Approved applicants would receive official certification along with expanded benefits, including veteran designation on identification cards, funeral honors, grave markers, burial privileges at state veterans cemeteries, and employment preference.

The bill allocates USD 200,000 for implementation in fiscal year 2027.

The vote comes amid renewed attention on Lao refugee communities in Minnesota following recent enforcement actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Earlier this week, state officials issued an emergency pardon to Lao refugee Ricky Chandee, a case that could affect the legal basis for his deportation proceedings.

Deportations, Diaspora Pressures

The legislation also comes against the backdrop of ongoing deportations of Lao nationals from the United States. In the past year, U.S. authorities have continued to carry out removals to Laos.

Estimates from social media deportee groups and regional reporting suggest that thousands of deportees have been returned to Laos over the past year, often after long periods of residence in the United States.

To date, more than 4,800 Lao nationals in the United States have final orders of removal, though actual deportations remain lower due to diplomatic and documentation constraints, typically occurring in smaller, periodic transfers.

These cases have drawn renewed attention in Minnesota, home to one of the largest Hmong and Lao communities in the United States, where community groups and local officials have raised concerns over deportations involving long-settled refugees and permanent residents.

The bill also arrives as the legacy of the Secret War, including veteran recognition and immigration cases involving Lao refugees, continues to receive attention in the state.

War Veterans

During the Secret War (1960s–1970s), the Central Intelligence Agency recruited tens of thousands of Hmong and Lao fighters under the Special Guerrilla Unit program as part of covert operations linked to the Vietnam War. At its peak, the force is estimated to have included more than 30,000 Hmong troops.

The conflict also coincided with extensive U.S. bombing campaigns across Laos between 1964 and 1973. Despite their role during the war, many of these fighters were not formally integrated into the U.S. military, leaving them ineligible for federal veteran status after the conflict ended.

Supporters of the Minnesota legislation say the measure would provide a clearer pathway for recognition at the state level decades later.

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