A Vietnamese national convicted of attempting to murder a police officer remained free in the United States for over fifteen years because his home country refused to accept him back, until ICE agents arrested him in Houston on May 5, 2026. The case highlights how diplomatic roadblocks previously allowed violent criminals to remain on American soil despite deportation orders.
Decades-Long Criminal History
Dinh Quy Nguyen was convicted of attempted capital murder of a police officer and burglary on June 28, 1989. Despite receiving a final deportation order in 1997, which was affirmed by the Board of Immigration Appeals in 1998, Nguyen remained in the country for nearly three decades. He first entered the United States in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 15, 1977.
After being taken into ICE custody in 2011, Nguyen was released and allowed to roam free in our communities due to a previous
Protected By Diplomatic Agreement
Immigration officials considered Nguyen untouchable for over a decade due to an agreement that prevented the United States from repatriating Vietnamese citizens who arrived before July 12, 1995. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice transferred him to ICE custody on March 17, 2011, but authorities released him three months later when Vietnam refused to take him back. This diplomatic technicality allowed him to walk free despite his violent criminal record.
Policy Shift Under Trump Administration
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis emphasized the significance of the arrest during Police Week, stating that ICE law enforcement removed this convicted criminal so he cannot victimize more Americans. The Department of Homeland Security announced that recent policy changes under President Donald Trump and Secretary Markwayne Mullin aim to remove longstanding barriers that allowed certain convicted criminals to remain in the United States. Nguyen is currently being held at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, pending his removal to Vietnam.
What This Means For Enforcement
The arrest marks a significant shift in immigration enforcement targeting foreign nationals with criminal convictions who were previously protected from deportation. DHS officials say the renewed effort is part of a broader initiative to ensure convicted criminals are no longer able to remain in American communities due to diplomatic technicalities or international agreements that shield violent offenders from removal.
