Last month Pierce County resident Tuan Thanh Phan was deported.

That wasn’t unexpected for Tuan or his family - he was planning on starting a new life in Vietnam after he was deported. His permanent residency was revoked in 2009, nearly ten years after he was convicted of first degree murder and second degree assault. 

The surprise was where he went. He wasn’t going to Vietnam, his birth country.

Instead, Tuan ended up on a flight to South Sudan. That was redirected to Djibouti.

The flight was part of a push by the Trump administration to remove convicted visa holders from the U.S. – back to countries that aren’t their own. 

Now Phan's wife is sounding the alarm - she hasn't heard from her husband since he was sent to Djbouti.

Guest:

• KUOW Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez

Related Stories:

• A Pierce County man expected to be deported to Vietnam. Instead, ICE routed him to South Sudan - KUOW

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