Statement from Advocacy Organizations and Ann Vue, wife of Lue Yang, on Governor Whitmer’s Pardon and Urgent Plea for ICE to Bring Lue Home

Detroit, MI – Today, advocacy organizations for immigrant justice and the family of Lue Yang express our deep gratitude to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for granting a pardon to Lue, a beloved husband, father, and respected community leader who has spent his adult life building and contributing to Michigan. This pardon affirms that redemption is possible and that compassion and justice can coexist in our state’s approach to immigrant communities. But right now, Lue has been put on an ICE flight scheduled to leave the country. The family and advocates are making the urgent demand for ICE to halt Lue’s deportation in light of the Governor’s pardon, and to reverse their recent decision denying Lue’s stay of removal motion. We are making the urgent demand to keep Lue in the United States.

Governor Whitmer’s decision sends a clear message: Michigan will not stand by while families are torn apart. Lue’s decades-old conviction, which was expunged by the state in 2018, should never have been used by the federal government to justify detention or deportation. We encourage the Governor to use the power of her office and every tool possible to keep doing the right thing to protect the immigrant families in our state.

“My family and I need Lue to return home where he belongs. This pardon shows the power of humanity and community,” said Ann Vue, Lue’s wife. “So many people stood with us, checked in on us, and refused to allow us to give up. We applaud and thank Governor Whitmer for her courage in granting Lue this pardon. Now we demand ICE and DHS to bring Lue home to Michigan.”

We are also deeply thankful for the collective advocacy that made this moment possible, from family, neighbors, and community members to local elected officials and allied organizations who stood by Lue and his family by writing letters and making calls to urge the Governor to act. This is a powerful reminder that when communities stand and advocate together, real change happens. Yet the fight doesn’t stop here.

As we celebrate this win for Lue and our community today, we learned last night Lue is currently on a plane eventually bound for Laos. We believe the plane is still within the United States. We join Ann and her family to call on ICE and DHS to respect Governor Whitmer’s pardon and immediately release and return Lue to Michigan. We urge everyone to take immediate action to help bring Lue home.

Call the ICE Detroit Field Office: (313) 771-6601

Email: bit.ly/RVEmailICE

We are living in a moment where Michiganders are being detained in inhumane conditions and deported without due process. Families are separated without warning, and entire communities live in fear for their safety. Across the country, immigrant and refugee communities have long endured cycles of exclusion and attacks, yet they continue to persevere, rebuild, and contribute to our nation. Now more than ever, we must stand against the cruel immigration policies and demand moral leadership rooted in hope, compassion, and justice. Our organizations remain steadfast in fighting for a Michigan–and an America–where every family can live with dignity and belonging.

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Rising Voices, a project of the Center for Empowered Politics, is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization that seeks to increase the civic participation of Asian Americans in Michigan by developing the leadership, organizing, and power-building capacity of Asian American women, youth, and communities. 

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