A rising number of Southeast Asian immigrants in Los Angeles and Orange counties are facing detention and deportation after years of living under indefinite deportation orders. Many of these individuals, primarily from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, have been reporting to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices for routine check-ins, only to find themselves detained.
In recent months, the Trump administration has ramped up efforts to enforce deportation orders that had previously been put on hold. These orders often affect immigrants who were convicted of crimes after arriving in the U.S. Although they had lived in the country for long periods, their home countries no longer recognize them as citizens. In some cases, countries like Laos do not easily provide the necessary documents for repatriation.
For years, these immigrants were allowed to stay in the U.S. as long as they complied with regular check-ins with ICE. Initially, these check-ins occurred monthly but typically transitioned to annual visits over time. However, recent reports indicate that many are now at risk during these appointments. According to the Asian Law Caucus, around 15,100 Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese nationals were in this situation across the U.S. as of 2024.
Community leaders and attorneys report that families are deeply worried about the consequences of these check-ins. Many have complied with the requirements for years, but recent news has made them fearful of what might happen when they report to ICE. Connie Chung Joe, from Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, noted that at least 17 individuals in the area have been detained or deported after attending their scheduled appointments.
Orange County is home to one of the largest Vietnamese communities outside of Vietnam, with over 100,000 Vietnamese Americans living there. Many of them came to the U.S. as refugees after the fall of Saigon. Additionally, tens of thousands of Cambodians and Laotians have settled in the Los Angeles area.
Many of these immigrants arrived as children and faced challenges adjusting to life in the U.S. Some became involved in gangs and subsequently faced criminal charges. Despite past troubles, many have turned their lives around, finding jobs and establishing families.
In a troubling example, a Cambodian immigrant who attended an ICE check-in was instructed to produce a plane ticket to Cambodia within 60 days. While none of the clients at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center have been deported yet, reports of deportations of individuals without legal representation have surfaced.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has not provided any clarity on the reasons behind this policy shift or whether the immigrants’ home countries will accept them. Some believe that the administration’s recent tariff threats may have influenced certain countries to cooperate more willingly with deportations.
Lawyers are seeing an increase in inquiries from families of detained immigrants. Richard Wilner, an attorney in Orange County, mentioned that he has received more calls in the past two weeks than in the previous 15 years. He expressed confusion over why some immigrants with delayed deportation orders are targeted while others are not.
This situation is creating fear and uncertainty within the community. Many families are worried about losing their loved ones who have built lives in the U.S. after years of compliance with immigration laws. The ongoing changes in enforcement policies highlight the precarious nature of immigration status for many long-term residents.