It is with a heavy heart that we share our family’s story. Like many families across Minnesota, we have been deeply impacted by the recent enforcement activities carried out by ICE. One week ago, my brother, Pao, was taken from his home, detained by ICE agents, and is now being held in Texas while facing deportation.

Pao is a husband and a devoted father of three. As a result of this situation, his wife and children are now without their primary source of support, and our family was suddenly forced to navigate a system we never expected to face, with little time to understand what was happening or how to respond.

Pao made a mistake when he was young and took responsibility for it by serving his time. Since then, he has worked hard to rebuild his life. He works long hours in a demanding, low-wage job—not because it is easy, but because it allows him to provide for his family. He has maintained a valid work visa and has done everything asked of him to move forward, support his family, and contribute to his community.

Deportation to Laos is not a safe or viable option for Pao. He has no meaningful ties there and no support system. He would be sent to a country unfamiliar to him after spending most of his life in the United States. The impact of this would be devastating, not only for Pao, but for his wife and children who depend on him every day.

We are doing everything we can to fight for Pao to come home, and we need help to do that. The immigration process is complicated, urgent, and expensive. Funds raised through this GoFundMe will be used for:

Legal representation and immigration attorney fees

Court filings and related legal costs

Immediate financial support for his wife and three children, including the mortgage, car payments, insurance, utilities, and basic living expenses while Pao is detained

If you feel moved to support our family, we are deeply grateful. Whether that means donating, sharing my brother's story, or keeping our family in your thoughts, it truly helps more than we can express.

If there are other ways you would like to support our family during this time, please feel free to reach out to me directly on Facebook.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for standing with our family and our community.