DHS Blasts Media for Suggesting That Accused Illegal Immigrant Pedophiles in Minnesota Had a ‘Cultural Misunderstanding’

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is skewering the media for suggesting that the alleged illegal immigrant pedophiles arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of operations in Minneapolis had a fundamental “cultural misunderstanding.”

DHS detailed the several Laotian and Thai criminal illegal aliens who were arrested as part of the operation. Some had convictions of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, and others had rap sheets including 2nd degree sexual assault of a child.

The Minnesota Star put it this way: “The deportations bring anxiety to the Hmong community, and accusations of cultural misunderstanding.”

It continued:

Cher Her of St. Paul, a surgical instrument repair technician who was there buying medicinal herbs, said people with extensive, violent criminal records deserve deportation.

But he also pointed out the cultural complications in a Hmong culture where people marry much younger than in America. Her married at 16; he’s now 41, married to the same woman and has eight kids. He’s been a U.S. citizen for decades. He worries how shifting deportation tactics could affect his brother, who got in trouble with the law as a teen but has since matured, with a job, a wife and a family.

“Rather than defend American victims, the Minnesota Star Tribune sympathized with convicted child sexual predators,” DHS wrote in response, adding more perspective by highlighting Chia Neng Vue, who was convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a child under 13 years old in 1998 and convicted of “committing a crime for the benefit of a gang.” His final order of removal was issued October 31, 2003.

A GoFundMe page for Chia Neng Vue claims that he “has changed to a completely different person” since then.

“He has a family and has stayed out of trouble,” it reads.

But after his final order of removal, he still appeared to get into trouble, as DHS noted:

• On March 24, 2009, Vue was arrested for possessing a pistol/assault weapon in Pine County Sheriff’s Office.
• On June 11, 2010, he was arrested criminal sexual conduct in first degree by Pine County Sheriff’s Office, MN.
• On August 3, 2011, Vue was arrested for dangerous weapons and domestic assault by St. Paul PD.
• On December 30, 2011, he was charged with Violation of Domestic Abuse no contact order by Bloomington, MN, PD.
• On April 26, 2012, Vue was arrested for Felon Convicted Crime of Violence by St. Paul, PD, MN.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that the framing on these arrests by the Minnesota Star “may take gold for despicable.”

“We have seen a lot of gross reporting, but this may take gold for despicable. There is no excuse for anyone to commit crimes against innocent children. These pedophiles are the types of sickos our brave ICE law enforcement officers are putting their lives on the line to arrest and remove from American communities,” she said, emphasizing that this illegal immigrant “repeatedly broke our laws, committed sex and other violent crimes.”