Behind the disturbing image of ICE snatching a half-naked, elderly Hmong American from his home
It’s an image that will knock you sideways: As snow falls, an elderly man wearing nothing but blue boxers and white Crocs with his hands restrained behind his back is forced out of his home by ICE agents. In the photo captured by photojournalist Leah Millis, you can see a red and white plaid blanket is draped around the man’s shoulders, but his chest is completely bare, exposing him to the harsh elements. It’s something out of a nightmare. It’s something that happened in St. Paul on Sunday.
ChongLy Scott Thao, also known as Saly, is a Hmong American born in Laos who has lived here most of his life. Born in a Laos refugee camp, he’s a US citizen, and St. Paul, Minnesota is his home. His mother Choua, who passed away just three weeks ago, was a nurse who helped American troops during the Laotian Civil War and brought her family stateside post-war as part of a large wave of Southeast Asians seeking refuge. Despite his status, Thao was subjected to the ultimate indignity when federal immigration agents broke down his door Sunday, terrorizing him, his wife and his five-year-old grandson, his family has confirmed. Though he ended up being returned, the damage is done and the message has been sent: If you’re not white, you’re not safe.
“Whatever you think it is, it’s worse,” Brandi Reilly, a neighbor who witnessed Thao’s detainment, told me by phone on Monday about what it’s been like in the Twin Cities of late. Sunday morning Reilly and her partner Kristi Nelson hit the streets of St. Paul for the first time since the occupation began to serve as observers. First they stood watch outside a local church with a predominately Spanish-speaking congregation, and shortly after a call went out to their Signal group that ICE agents were surrounding a nearby home and observers were needed. They went over, the man’s immigration status immaterial to the effort to protect him.
https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/ice-st-paul-chongly-scott-thao-saly-hmong-us-citizen-arrest
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