Đọc trang này bằng tiếng Việt
Read this page in Hmoob
សូមអានទំព័រនេះជាភាសាខ្មែរ
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out devastating raids on Southeast Asian refugee communities. This webpage provides resources and answers to frequently asked questions for people facing deportation to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It does not provide individualized legal advice. If you are a California resident seeking legal advice regarding a removal order, please contact the Asian Law Caucus at 415-896-1701 or using our contact form. If you live outside of California, please refer to the National Immigration Legal Services Directory.
Community Resources
General Resources
- A Guide for Community members with Deportation Orders (English, Tiếng Việt, ខ្មែរ, Hmoob) by Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Stanford Law School, the Asian Law Caucus, the Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants, and New Light Wellness
- Know Your Rights Resources in English, Khmer, Hmong, and Vietnamese (MN8)
- Southeast Asians and Mass Deportation: A Timeline (Collective Freedom)
- Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)
- Habeas Toolkit: Seeking Freedom for Clients with Unexecuted Final Orders of Removal (ALC)
Resources to Prepare for an ICE Check In
- Video: How do I prepare for an ICE Check In? (ALC)
- Khmer Video: តើខ្ញុំត្រូវរៀបចំសម្រាប់កាត្រួតពិនិត្យជាមួយ ICE ដោយរបៀបណា? (ALC)
- ICE and ISAP Check In FAQs (Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project)
- ICE Check In Tool 2025 (Orange County Rapid Response Network)
- FAQ: Will ICE Detain Me at My Check In? (Vermont Asylum Assistance Project)
Resources to Seek Records
- Guide to Requesting Records (ALC)
- FOIA Request Guidance (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund)
- English Video: Is there a way for me to fight my deportation? (ALC)
- Khmer Video: តើមានមធ្យោបាយសម្រាប់ខ្ញុំដើម្បីប្រយុទ្ធនឹងការនិរទេសទេ? (ALC)
Resources to Seek Post-Conviction Relief
- Guide to California Pardons (ALC)
- Clemency Advocacy Guide (Clemency Coalition of California)
Resources for Community Members Currently in Prison or Detention
- Community Resource Guide: First Steps After Someone You Care About is Detained by Immigration (California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice)
- Guide to Filing Lawsuit to Request Release from Indefinite Immigration Detention (Zadvydas Habeas Guide) / Detención Indefinida de Inmigrantes: Cómo Hacer Una Demanda Exigiendo la Liberación (ALC)
- Post-Order Custody Review Guide (ALC)
- From Prison to ICE to Freedom: A Handbook for Immigrants Inside (in English, en Español) by ALC and Asian Prisoner Support Committee
Resources for Community Members Facing Deportation to Cambodia
- Resources for Cambodians with Final Removal Orders (ALC)
- New Light Wellness provides support for individuals deported to Cambodia and their families. Fill out an intake form here.
Resources for Community Members Facing Deportation to Laos
- Deportation to Laos FAQ (Collective Freedom & ROOTS)
- Collective Freedom and Roots provide re-entry services for community members deported to Laos. Contact them here.
Resources for Community Members Facing Deportation to Vietnam
- Resources on Deportation of Vietnamese Immigrants Who Entered the U.S. Before 1995 (ALC)
- Step by Step Guide to Request Travel Document from Vietnam (Collective Freedom)
- Deportation to Vietnam FAQs (The Ba Lô Project)
- The Ba Lô Project and Collective Freedom support smooth transition of detainees to Vietnam. Contact Ba Lô Project here.
Status of ICE Deportations to Southeast Asian Countries
This page will be updated if and when we learn of changes during Trump’s second administration.
Cambodia: Cambodia signed a repatriation agreement with the U.S. in 2002. Since then, over 1,000 people have been deported from the U.S. to Cambodia. The deportations picked up speed in the fall of 2017, when the U.S. cut off visas for certain high-level Cambodian government officials until they start cooperating with U.S. deportation policy. Cambodia will not issue a travel document until after interviewing a person. Prior to the pandemic, Cambodian officials traveled to the U.S. each year to conduct interviews at a detention facility, and ICE carried out raids targeting Cambodians with removal orders in preparation for the interviews each year. Since the pandemic began, arrests have been fewer and more sporadic, and Cambodian officials have conducted some interviews virtually. There are about 1,700 Cambodians with removal orders in the U.S.
A nationwide permanent injunction currently requires ICE to send written notice to some Cambodians two weeks before re-arresting them. If you were previously released from detention after being ordered deported and have complied with your order of supervision, you should be included in the class action. Read ALC's community advisory on the permanent injunction.
Laos: Laos does not have a formal repatriation agreement with the U.S. Historically, Laos rarely issued travel documents for deportation. In June 2025, the U.S. placed a partial travel ban on Laos and cut off visas for certain Lao individuals citing visa overstays and failure to cooperate with U.S. deportation policy. The Lao government has been issuing travel documents in response to pressures from the U.S. There are over 4,800 people considered by ICE to be nationals of Laos who have removal orders and are living in the U.S. This number includes Hmong, Mien, and other ethnic minority groups.
Vietnam: Vietnam signed a repatriation agreement with the U.S. in 2008. The agreement stated that Vietnam would only consider issuing travel documents for people who came to the U.S. on or after July 12, 1995, the date that diplomatic relations were restored between Vietnam and the U.S. After the 2008 agreement was signed, Vietnam issued travel documents for some “post-95” immigrants but not for “pre-95” immigrants. Under the first Trump administration, the U.S. began pressuring Vietnam to accept “pre-95” immigrants for removal. In November 2020, Vietnam and the U.S. signed a new agreement that created a process for “pre-95” immigrants to be deported. Before 2025, Vietnam was generally only issuing a handful of travel documents for “pre-95” immigrants each year. During Trump’s second presidency, however, ICE has begun to redetain and deport pre-1995 immigrants at significantly higher numbers than it had previously.
There are over 8,600 Vietnamese, Montagnard, and other ethnic minorities with removal orders in the U.S. Find more resources for Vietnamese immigrants who entered the U.S. before 1995.
Know Your Rights
When may ICE enter my home?
Immigration officers may not enter your home without permission unless they have a “warrant.” A warrant is a document issued by a court. Generally, ICE claims that a document signed by a deportation officer not a judge is a warrant. This document does not authorize them to enter your home without permission. It is important that everyone in your household knows to not open the door for ICE. ICE can enter your home if anyone gives them permission to enter. They will treat opening the door as permission and push their way in.
For more information, please see Know Your Rights with ICE from the Immigrant Defense Project.
What should I do if ICE is at my door?
Call your local rapid response network: ccijustice.org/carrn. Do not open the door. Through the door, ask which agency the officers are with. ICE officers often falsely claim to be police. Ask if they have a warrant and for them to slide the warrant under the door. Check to see if the warrant was signed by a judge or deportation officer.
You can print out cards to inform the ICE officer that they do not have permission to enter and that you do not wish to speak to them. The cards are available in English, Khmer, Hmong, and Vietnamese.
What if ICE is waiting outside my home?
ICE does not need a warrant signed by a judge to arrest you outside of your home. Often, ICE waits down the street until people leave for work to arrest them. If you are arrested by ICE on the street, you have the right to not answer any questions and to ask to speak with your attorney. If a friend or family member is arrested by ICE, call your local Rapid Response Network right away for help.
ICE called or sent a letter asking me to check-in earlier than scheduled. What can I expect?
While ICE sometimes does reschedule check-ins, this may also mean that they are planning to detain you. Call the Asian Law Caucus at 415-896-1701 for legal advice and updates on whether raids are happening elsewhere.
Common Questions
I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Hong Kong, or the Philippines. Am I a citizen of that country?
No. Those countries do not automatically grant citizenship to people born in the country.
Can I be deported to Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam even if I was not born there?
Cambodia has recognized people born in refugee camps as citizens even though they have never been to Cambodia. Lao nationality law automatically strips people of citizenship if they have been gone from the country for more than seven years without permission.
I have a deportation order. What can I do to prepare?
You should request your immigration file and criminal records and ask an attorney to review them. Find information on how to request your file. You can also make financial and parenting plans if you are detained. Find information on how to make parenting plans.
Can I reopen my case?
Possibly. Immigration law is constantly changing. You should request your file and have an immigration attorney review it.
Will it help if I get my conviction expunged? What about a pardon?
Generally, expungements will not help except for very limited situations. Vacating your conviction may help. If you have a state conviction, a pardon from the governor may also help for some convictions. If you have a state conviction, you would need to apply for a pardon in the state where you were convicted. If you have a federal conviction, you would need to be pardoned by the president. The pardon process varies greatly from state to state. You can get information on the pardon process in your state. If you live in California, you can also read the Asian Law Caucus' pardons guide.
What happens if ICE arrests me?
If you are arrested by ICE, have a family member or friend immediately call your local Rapid Response Network to try to get day-of assistance.
If your friend or family member has been arrested and sent to an ICE detention center in California, call the Asian Law Caucus at 415-896-1701 for legal help.
I have a deportation order. Can I get a work permit, social security card, and a driver’s license?
If you are on an order of supervision and checking in with ICE, you can apply for a work permit. You can use the work permit to obtain a social security card. Whether you are able to get a driver’s license or state ID using the work permit depends on the state in which you live.
For more information, please see the Applying for a Work Permit guide.
I do not have a deportation order but am in removal proceedings. What are my options?
You should speak to an attorney about your case. You can find an immigration attorney by using the National Immigration Legal Services Directory. You can also consult the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center's (SEARAC) guide for resources and background information.