Pang Nhia Hang Bailey, a mother of four, has been living in the U.S. for more than 40 years. She has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since late July.
According to Newsweek and ICE records, she is being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center. Newsweek has asked ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for comment.
Why This Matters
President Donald Trump promised one of the largest deportation efforts in U.S. history and has increased immigration enforcement since returning to office. This crackdown has affected people living in the U.S. illegally, as well as some with legal documents like green cards or visas. Thousands of people have been deported, and others have been encouraged to leave the country voluntarily.
Pang Bailey’s Story
Pang Bailey is 53 and was born in Laos in 1972. She was taken to France as a refugee in 1973 and came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1978, according to her husband Scott Bailey, who shared her story on GoFundMe. Pang is Hmong, an ethnic group that helped the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Today, around 360,000 Hmong people live in the U.S., mostly in California and Minnesota.
She married Scott Bailey in 1999, and they have four children. Her green card expired in 1995.
Legal History
Court records show Pang and her husband were involved in a fraud case in 1999, which was later dismissed. In 2000, they were indicted for bank fraud, and Pang Bailey pleaded guilty. Details about her sentencing are unclear.
She was detained on July 30 when she went to an ICE office for her “annual report,” according to her husband. She was first moved to a detention center in Texas and is now in South Louisiana.
Community Reaction
Michigan State Representative Mai Xiong, the first Hmong American legislator in Michigan, said about 15 Hmong refugees were unexpectedly detained when they were asked to report for ICE interviews. Many of them, including Pang, were born in refugee camps or left Laos soon after birth and have never lived there. It’s unclear where Pang might be deported.
Xiong said:
“These individuals came to the U.S. legally as children of Hmong veterans who served with America during the Vietnam War. They are fathers, sons, employees, taxpayers, and community members. Some don’t have lawyers or speak English fluently.”
The Asian Law Caucus noted that Laos rarely issues travel documents for deportation. In June 2025, the U.S. limited visas for some Lao citizens because of visa overstays and other issues.
Next Steps
Xiong is organizing a rally against ICE’s recent actions toward Hmong refugees. It will be held in Lansing, Michigan, outside the State Capitol on August 8 at 5:30 p.m.
