The Trump Administration is trying to deport more than 8,500 of Vietnam War refugees who have been in trouble with the law. It’s unclear how many of these refugees live in Southern California, but there is a large Vietnamese community residing in cities like Westminster and Garden Grove and many could be targeted in this new plan.

Following the fall of South Vietnam to communist leaders and the end of the Vietnam War, the United States allowed refugees to flee the country and emigrate into the states. For months, President Donald Trump has been trying to deport more than 8,500 Vietnamese refugees who have been in trouble with the law, even though most of them have served their time for their non-violent or serious offenses. 

The only thing preventing the deportations to go through is a 2008 agreement between Vietnam and the United States which precludes the deportation of refugees who came to the U.S. before 1995. However, the Trump Administration is reportedly reinterpreting the agreement. 

This agreement affects 42-year-old Tung Nguyen who lives with his wife and child. Nguyen fled Vietnam with his parents and siblings when he was 14-years-old and settled in Orange County.

“In the beginning, it looks very good. Everything was new, everything was very fancy and very different than Vietnam,” said Nguyen. 

Reality began to sink in when Nguyen went to high school and realized he was a foreigner. Nguyen says he was made fun of and pushed around by students. 

“I’d rather stay at home more than go to school, because going to school, I would have to deal with being a foreigner. Not only did the people with other ethnicities, but also the Vietnamese that came before me, they looked at me as a newbie and I didn’t have a lot of ways to deal or connect with people,” said Nguyen. 

He said he wanted to do well and take advantage of the opportunities his new country had available, but couldn’t adapt to the new country and fit into his new school. 

“I connected with people who were feeling the same way that I did. Slowly, we became, we have a bond. We were able to come together as a group as opposed to individuals and we defend ourselves against the bullies and the people took advantage of us,” said Nguyen. 

At 16-years-old, Nguyen was arrested and charged for being at the scene of a murder and robbery. 

“Even though I was not the actual killer or committed the robbery personally, by virtue of me being there I was sentenced to a 25 years to life prison sentence,” said Nguyen 

He was 18 years old when he stepped foot into a state prison. Instead of giving up, Nguyen said he took advantage of the opportunities and programs available to him in custody. 

“That was when I realized, I am not what my sentence is. I am not what my crime is. I can change and I can be better,” said Nguyen. 

A parole board and Governor Jerry Brown took notice and looked over Nguyen’s case. Brown issued a pardon and an executive ordered for Nguyen’s immediate release in 2011. Instead of walking out of prison as a free man, Nguyen was taken into U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and was held in a detention center for a month before he was released and reunited with his family. 

Since 2011, Nguyen has been living in limbo. When he was convicted his crime at age 18, Nguyen lost his residency status and green card. 

“Just waiting to be deported to Vietnam. When? I don’t know, but thank God for the repatriation agreement that I’m continue to be allowed to have an existence to be in America and near my family and my loved ones,” said Nguyen. 

Nguyen and hundreds of other Vietnam War refugees have reached out to immigration attorney Tania Pham and attorney Alexandra Le for help. 

“I couldn’t understand how they could possibly reinterpret an agreement that has been honored by several administrations. From Bush to Clinton and Obama,” said Tania Pham. 

Pham says Nguyen has a good chance of having his case reopened in immigration court because Tung has been advocating to reform the immigration law that threatens to deport him and others.

“That’s what I’ve been doing for the last two years every day, waking up, taking calls for the impacted, their families as well as those currently in the detentions facing deportations to Vietnam,” said Nguyen.

Nguyen says he knows sharing his story shines a light on his past, but he’s willing to spread awareness of what’s happening and hopes he doesn’t get separated from his family again.