Vietnamese Man Detained by ICE Over Expunged Marijuana Charge

Oklahoma family shocked as longtime resident faces possible deportation

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Hai Nguyen, who has lived in the U.S. since childhood and worked in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years, was detained by ICE during a routine check-in over a decades-old marijuana charge that had been expunged from his record. His family is now facing the possibility of his deportation to Vietnam, a country he left as a child.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by immigrants, even those who have lived in the U.S. for decades and have otherwise clean records, as the current administration continues to aggressively pursue deportations. It also raises questions about the efficacy of expungement laws and the lasting impact of minor criminal charges on immigration status.

The details

Nguyen, who came to the U.S. as a child in 1993, was detained by ICE during a routine check-in appointment. This stemmed from a marijuana charge he received in college over a decade ago, which had been expunged from his record. Despite this, ICE is now seeking to deport him to Vietnam, a country he left as a child. Nguyen has held a steady job, graduated from the University of Oklahoma, and has been married to his wife for 18 years, with whom he has children.

  • Nguyen came to the U.S. as a child in 1993.
  • Nguyen received a marijuana charge in college over a decade ago.
  • Nguyen was detained by ICE during a routine check-in appointment on Monday, March 4, 2026.

The players

Hai Nguyen

A Vietnamese man who has lived in the U.S. since childhood and worked in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years.

Holly Forster-Nguyen

Hai Nguyen's wife of 18 years.

Lorena Rivas

An immigration attorney not working on Nguyen's case, who commented on the increased targeting of Vietnamese nationals by ICE under the current administration.

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What they’re saying

“It's shocking to see, you know, this happening. I've seen it happen with others.”

— Holly Forster-Nguyen, Hai Nguyen's wife (wbal.com)

“ICE is all about just detaining individuals without properly knowing all the context. So, it's like different heads to the same animal or attacking a different means, and they are causing a lot of confusion.”

— Lorena Rivas, Immigration attorney (wbal.com)

What’s next

Nguyen's attorney is working to try to stop his deportation, but Rivas said it is unlikely something will happen to stop it, and it would likely take a governor's pardon to remove the marijuana charge that is now being used against him.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by immigrants, even those who have lived in the U.S. for decades and have otherwise clean records, as the current administration continues to aggressively pursue deportations, targeting even minor past offenses that have been expunged from an individual's record.