A man was detained by ICE in February 2026 during a scheduled check-in and deported to Laos in early May, leaving his wife and five sons, ages 3 to 17, in South St. Paul without their primary financial provider. ICE agents blocked his wife's car while she was driving to work on Feb. 4, telling her they would arrest him the next morning; she negotiated the extra day so the family could say goodbye before his deportation. The family has since relocated and relied on extended family support to manage the financial hardship resulting from his removal.