Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has moved swiftly to pardon Jai Vang, a man convicted in an armed robbery case from 1994, before he could be deported to Laos.

According to officials, Vang was taken into ICE custody on May 14 and was scheduled for deportation in June. In response, Walz convened a special meeting of the Minnesota Board of Pardons with Chief Justice Natalie Hudson and Attorney General Keith Ellison. The pardon was granted unanimously after recommendations from the Clemency Review Commission.

Vang, who was 18 when he was arrested in October 1994, has not committed additional crimes since serving his sentence. He has built a family and started a painting and carpentry business in Minnesota. During the hearing, Walz referred to Vang as a citizen despite him being Laotian and facing deportation to Laos. Walz argued that removing Vang would not improve safety in Minnesota.

The federal action that led to Vang’s custody was part of Operation Metro Surge, a DHS initiative targeting criminal illegal aliens in the Minneapolis area. Walz’s pardon sets aside the conviction and lifts many associated consequences, which can complicate the deportation process.