Latest news with #TinNguyen
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Asian and Mexican immigrants, moments away from being deported to Libya, never left the U.S.
A Filipino immigrant detained in Texas described being woken up at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday by armed guards in tactical gear, being told he was being sent to Libya, and then waiting for hours on a bus at a military base outside a military plane, his lawyer said. The flight never took off and he was sent back to solitary confinement in the Texas facility along with the other 12 detainees, mostly from Asian countries, the immigrant's lawyer, Johnny Sinodis, told NBC News. The immigrant requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation. The immigrants, including people from the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Mexico, would later learn that their attorneys filed an emergency motion after reports that the Trump administration had planned to send a group of immigrants to Libya. A federal judge then enforced a previous order Wednesday afternoon, halting deportations to third countries. Tin Nguyen, another immigration attorney whose client was aboard the bus, said that though the deportation was halted, many continue to be on edge over the possibility of being sent to a country that is unfamiliar to them and has been criticized for major human rights abuses. 'Libya or El Salvador or Rwanda … it's very scary for people,' Nguyen, who's based in North Carolina, said. 'People don't know anything about these countries, and what they have heard about them is very terrifying.' The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on questions related to the deportation flight and legal motion. Last week, a judge granted a preliminary injunction, ruling that prior to removing any noncitizen to a third country, the Trump administration must take several steps to ensure they receive adequate due process. Sinodis said that his client had been told earlier this week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that he was being sent to Libya. Days later, the detainees were given a few minutes to gather their belongings before being processed out of the facility, shackled and shuffled onto a bus, the attorney said. The detainees were eventually taken back to the facility and released to the facility's general population by the next morning. Sinodis criticized the process as both legally concerning and inefficient. Sending an immigrant from Mexico across the world, for example, makes little sense, he said. 'I mean how much money does it cost to send someone from Mexico to Libya?' he said. 'You can just drive someone to Mexico.' Nguyen recounted a similar chain of events, adding that his client, who's Vietnamese, had previously been threatened with the prospect of being sent to Libya. At one point, the detainee and others were ordered to sign a document agreeing to be deported to the country, according to the emergency motion filed on Wednesday, in which Nguyen's client is a plaintiff. 'He didn't read the document. He can't read [English] and it wasn't translated in Vietnamese, or through an interpreter. So he refused to sign,' Nguyen said. 'And because he refused to sign, he was separated from the other folks.' The emergency motion said that detainees who refused to sign off on the removal to Libya were put in separate rooms, 'cuffed in' and forced to provide their signatures for the document. After hours on the tarmac, Nguyen said his client called his wife. 'They were not intermingling with the general population or with each other, but they were able to make phone calls,' Nguyen said. Nguyen said it's unclear what will happen next, but his client would rather be sent back to Vietnam than a third country. 'This time around I'm helping folks speed up the process of actually trying to get the travel documents from Vietnam, so people can just go to Vietnam,' the attorney said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month at a Cabinet meeting that the United States is 'actively searching for other countries to take people.' 'We are working with other countries to say, 'We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries,'' Rubio said. ''Will you do that as a favor to us?' And the further away the better, so they can't come back across the border.' Reports of plans to send migrants to Libya drew backlash from immigration and humanitarian advocates. Libya has long been criticized for its treatment of migrants. The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, established by the United Nations Human Rights Council, found in its report from 2023 that it was likely that 'crimes against humanity were committed against Libyans and migrants throughout Libya.' The report documented examples of 'arbitrary detention, murder, torture, rape, enslavement, sexual slavery, extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearance, confirming their widespread practice in Libya.' The State Department's own website cautioned against traveling to Libya, classifying the country as under a Level 4, the highest advisory level due to a 'greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.' Libya's provisional Government of National Unity said on social media that it is not coordinating deportations with the United States and that it rejects using the country as a destination for deported immigrants without its knowledge or consent. 'The Government categorically denies the existence of any agreement or coordination with it regarding the reception of any migrants deported from the United States,' it said. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Vietnamese refugee suffering from dementia dies in ICE custody in Texas
[Source] A 55-year-old Vietnamese refugee with dementia reportedly died of natural causes while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Long Term Acute Care Hospital in El Paso, Texas on April 16. 'Some negligence'? Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, who came to the U.S. in July 1983 and was granted legal status under the Refugee Act of 1980, was detained during a Feb. 24 appointment with ICE in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he had been living since 2018. An autopsy revealed that he died of acute pneumonia, with dementia listed as a secondary cause. However, his attorney, Tin Nguyen, said his family believes there was 'some negligence' on ICE's part. 'We don't know the details of what happened in his last days at the hospital,' Tin Nguyen told the Albuquerque Journal. 'I think there are a lot of questions that need to be answered in how ICE treats people who are sick.' Trending on NextShark: Daniel Dae Kim is first Asian American to be nominated for Tony lead actor award The family, who lives in Dallas, reportedly did not know Nguyen's whereabouts from mid-February until late March when ICE informed them he was ready for release but required constant medical care. What ICE is saying In a press release, ICE noted that Nguyen had a 1991 conviction for second-degree murder in California, which violated his residency terms. The agency said he was arrested 'based on his final order of removal with the significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future to Vietnam' following a 2013 deportation order. Trending on NextShark: Vietnamese refugee suffering from dementia dies in ICE custody in Texas From Feb. 26 until his death, Nguyen was transferred multiple times between the El Paso Processing Center and hospitals for treatment. The agency said it 'coordinated closely with Nguyen's attorney to identify and contact Nguyen's family members able to take custody and care for him in the United States to no avail.' ICE maintained that it 'remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments' and that 'comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.' Sparking protest Trending on NextShark: Korean American astronaut Jonny Kim shares gochujang burger recipe from space Nguyen's death has drawn attention from immigrant rights activists. At May Day rallies across New Mexico on May 1, thousands reportedly gathered in events that celebrated workers and expressed solidarity with those targeted by the Trump administration, including immigrants. Attendees in Albuquerque's Tiguex Park carried Nguyen's photo. A statement from his nephew, Duke Nguyen, was read aloud. Trending on NextShark: Indian American student wearing pro-Trump hat attacked near WSU This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Michigan lawmaker responds to colleague's insults that she is 'very low IQ' Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Vietnamese man living in Albuquerque dies months after being taken into ICE custody
May 1—A Vietnamese refugee who spent time in a California prison and most recently lived in Albuquerque died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody earlier this month. Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, 55, died of natural causes April 16 at the Long Term Acute Care Hospital in El Paso, according to a release from ICE. The release said that, from Feb. 26 until his death, Nguyen bounced between the El Paso Processing Center, an immigration detention center, and hospital "for treatment due to altered mental status, assistance to ambulate and assistance with his activities of daily living." The agency said during that time, ICE tried to contact Nguyen's family to care for him "to no avail," according to the release. On Thursday, May Day rally goers in Tiguex Park in Old Town brought attention to Nguyen's death, with some attendees carrying his photo during the rally bringing attention to immigrant rights. Tin Nguyen, an attorney for Nguyen, said the family — who lives in Dallas — didn't know where he was from mid-February until late March, when ICE told them he was ready to be released but needed 24/7 medical care. The attorney said an autopsy found Nhon Nguyen died of acute pneumonia, with dementia as a secondary cause. Tin Nguyen said the family believes there was "some negligence" on the part of ICE. "We don't know the details of what happened in his last days at the hospital," he said. "I think there are a lot of questions that need to be answered in how ICE treats people who are sick." In the release, officials said ICE "remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments." "Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay," according to the release. "... At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care." The release states Nhon Nguyen came to the U.S. and was granted legal status in 1983 as part of the Refugee Act of 1980. In 1991, he was convicted of murder in California and sentenced to 15 years, with the crime violating the terms of his U.S. residency. ICE took custody of Nguyen in 2013 after his release on parole, and he was jailed until an immigration judge ordered his deportation, according to the release. "However, Vietnam denied issuing a travel document," the release states, and ICE issued Nguyen an Order of Supervision, and released him from custody. From there, ICE granted Nguyen's request to move to Dallas, where his family lives, before he moved to Albuquerque in 2018, according to the release. Seven years later, on Feb. 24, ICE arrested Nguyen "with the significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future to Vietnam." The release states two days after being placed in the El Paso Processing Center, Nguyen was taken to the hospital until March 13, when he was brought back to the detention center. After a few more trips back and forth from the facility to the hospital, Nguyen was taken for the last time to the hospital on April 7. "Consistent with ICE protocols, the appropriate components were notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility," according to the release. "Additionally, ICE notified the next of kin."
