Laotian man has spent months in ICE custody despite seeking to self-deport

A 56-year-old Colorado refugee who wants to return to Laos has spent nearly three months in immigration detention, highlighting potential dysfunction in a system meant to expedite voluntary departures.

About Phetchamphone and his case: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Keooudone Phetchamphone into custody at his Aug. 27 annual check-in and has held him at its Aurora facility since, according to CBS. Phetchamphone, who also goes by “Don,” arrived in the U.S. as a child in 1979 with his parents and siblings following a five-year stay in a refugee camp. His father had assisted American military forces during the Vietnam War, which also extended into Laos and Cambodia. Between 2003 and 2007, Phetchamphon faced arrests on multiple charges including assault, drug possession and domestic violence, leading to a 2010 deportation order. This year, he chose to self-deport.

His sister and lawyer, Pathoumma “Pat” Phetchamphone, says the family retained attorneys who notified ICE one week before the check-in and held a farewell gathering at the Lao Buddhist Temple in mid-August. But since then, Phetchamphone has not boarded two flights that carried other deportees to Laos; ICE says it must receive travel documents from the Laotian government first. The family obtained approval from Laos in October after filing mid-year, but Laos will only provide documents while Don remains in custody, and Pat contends ICE’s slow processing has blocked receipt of proper authorization.

Why this matters: Phetchamphone’s detention reveals a stark contradiction within immigration enforcement. While the Trump administration recently announced 1.6 million self-deportations and provides $1,000 payments plus plane tickets to encourage voluntary exits, Phetchamphone cannot leave despite his willingness. His transformation over the past 14 years, which included helping rebuild the Lao Buddhist Temple and assisting refugee families with daily tasks, has not overcome ICE’s assessment of his “extensive criminal history,” which bars him from voluntary removal programs. The family has offered to cover all flight expenses and even compensate the government for an accompanying ICE agent, but taxpayer resources continue funding his detention while bureaucratic procedures stall.

The big picture: The case exposes deeper tensions between stated immigration policy and operational reality. ICE’s own guidance encourages self-deportation so individuals can “plan and organize your affairs” rather than face sudden arrest, yet agency protocols appear to prevent this option for those with criminal backgrounds. Meanwhile, Phetchamphone’s deteriorating health inside the GEO Group-operated Aurora facility raises concerns about medical standards in privatized detention centers. As DHS claims to be on pace to “shatter” deportation records, cases like Phetchamphone’s suggest administrative barriers can trap people in limbo regardless of their desire to depart or the government’s stated removal priorities.

Once released to Laos, the family intends to help Phetchamphone establish an orphanage honoring his parents.