LANSING, Mich., Sept. 9, 2025 — State Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren) introduced House Resolution 164 to demand transparency from federal authorities around the legal basis, procedural handling and current conditions of the approximately 16 Hmong and Laotian refugees in Michigan who were recently detained and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since the refugees were unexpectedly detained on July 30 when they appeared for what they believed was a routine immigration check-in, their families and communities have made urgent appeals for transparency and their release to no avail.
“Refugees who’ve made Michigan their home for decades do not have a safe country to return to. They have contributed to our shared history for generations. The Michigan families now left to navigate a complex immigration and legal system, are deeply terrified. I am demanding that federal authorities provide immediate access to legal counsel, timely family notification and humane treatment for all detainees,” Xiong said.
ICE moved several of the detainees to facilities in Texas and Louisiana before ultimately deporting them to Laos in mid-August, all without confirming whether due process rights were respected. The resolution emphasizes that the U.S. has no agreement with the Laotian government to accept immigrants deported from the U.S.
“Michigan’s Hmong and Laotian communities are longtime residents and contributors to our state and descendants of U.S. allies in the Vietnam War. Their familial, communal and humanitarian histories are deeply rooted in Michigan, and to deport them to a country they have not belonged to for generations is inhumane,” Xiong continued. “This resolution demands transparency, time for case-by-case review to assess alternatives to detention for refugees and respect for the law.”
Xiong’s resolution was referred to the Committee on Government Operations, where it awaits further action.
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