ICE Deports Houston Gang Member After 35 Years in Prison
If you have a criminal conviction and hold any immigration status, speak with an immigration lawyer before any release from custody — ICE can arrest you the same day you leave jail or prison. A removal order does not expire, and ICE can enforce it years or even decades later. Lawyers recommend acting early, because options narrow significantly once ICE takes custody.
What happened
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) arrested Minh Duy Tong Nguyen, a Vietnamese national, on April 16, 2026, the day he was released from a Texas state prison. Nguyen had served more than three decades for a 1990 murder conviction in Harris County, Texas. ICE is now holding him in custody while it prepares to deport him to Vietnam.
Nguyen came to the United States in 1980 as a lawful permanent resident — meaning he had a green card. He later joined the Nomads, a Vietnamese street gang active in the Houston area. On January 30, 1989, he was involved in a shootout at Givral's Sandwich Shop in Houston's Little Saigon neighborhood. Two people were killed and three others were injured. Nguyen escaped while other gang members were arrested. He was featured on the TV show America's Most Wanted in January 1990, captured in Canada shortly after, and extradited to the United States. A jury convicted him on all charges after only a few hours of deliberation.
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Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
Immigration officials started removal proceedings against Nguyen in 1991. By 1998, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) — the highest immigration court in the US — finalized his removal order. When he was released from state prison this April, ICE was ready. The agency had placed an immigration detainer on him, which is a request to a jail or prison to notify ICE before releasing someone so ICE can take custody.
Why this matters for immigrants with criminal records
This case is a reminder that a green card does not protect you from deportation if you are convicted of certain crimes. ICE can place a detainer on you while you are in criminal custody and arrest you the moment you are released — even decades later. A removal order issued years ago can still be enforced today.
What to do
- If you or a family member has a criminal record and a green card or other immigration status, talk to an immigration lawyer as soon as possible. Some convictions can trigger removal proceedings, even old ones.
- If ICE has placed a detainer on you or someone you know, lawyers recommend contacting an immigration attorney immediately — before the release date from jail or prison — to explore whether any legal options remain.
- If you are already in removal proceedings (meaning an immigration judge is deciding whether to deport you), do not miss any immigration court hearings. Missing a hearing can result in a deportation order issued without you present.
- If you received a removal order in the past and believe you may have a new legal basis to stay — such as changed conditions in your home country — an immigration lawyer can review whether you may qualify to reopen your case.