A Minnesota lawmaker’s stunning admission of being in the U.S. “illegally” has ignited a firestorm.
Rep. Kaohly Vang Her, a Democrat elected in 2018, made a confession this week, during a House floor debate on public health care for unauthorized migrants, revealing her family’s complicated immigration status stemming from her father’s paperwork fraud decades ago, as the Daily Mail reports. Social media erupted with calls for her removal, while Los Angeles faced a National Guard deployment amid anti-ICE protests.
The lawmaker, born in Laos and a U.S. citizen since naturalization, shared her story while advocating for health care access. “Because his mother had died, my father… put my grandmother down as his mother,” Her said. That sleight of hand, she claims, left her family’s legal status in limbo.
Her confession, though, doesn’t erase her citizenship status. Minnesota law demands that candidates be qualified voters, meaning U.S. citizens for at least three months. She meets the requirement, but the optics of her admission still sting.
“And so I am illegal in this country,” Her declared, doubling down on her family’s situation. The statement, meant to humanize the debate, instead fueled a conservative backlash. Critics argue it exposes a broken system where laws bend for political gain.
Social media didn’t hold back. “We’ve been told… illegal aliens don’t vote… Now we find out they RUN,” one user tweeted, sarcasm dripping. The post captures a sentiment: frustration over perceived double standards in enforcement.
Calls for Her’s ouster grew louder online. “She needs… to be removed from the country!” one X user demanded, invoking ICE’s top brass. The rhetoric, while heated, reflects a broader distrust in immigration oversight.
Another user quipped, “TOM HOMAN!!! You’re up buddy,” tagging ICE’s former director. The viral outrage underscores a conservative rallying cry: enforce the law, no exceptions. Her’s defenders, meanwhile, point to her citizenship as a shield.
Her’s revelation came as Los Angeles grappled with unrest. Violent anti-ICE protests rocked the city over the June 7-8 weekend, triggered by immigration raids detaining 44 people. Tensions simmered, as a fourth day of protests loomed on June 9.
President Donald Trump didn’t hesitate, ordering 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles. By midday Monday, 1,000 were on the ground, with the rest expected by nightfall. “Completely obliterated,” Trump said, warning of chaos without the deployment.
California’s leadership pushed back hard. Gov. Gavin Newsom called the move “illegal and immoral,” vowing a lawsuit. The clash highlights a deeper divide over federal versus state power on immigration.
Despite the protests, Los Angeles streets stayed calm on June 9. The National Guard’s presence, critics argue, was more political theater than necessity. Still, the show of force sent a message: order would be maintained.
Her’s floor speech tied her story to policy, but it backfired spectacularly. Her status as a naturalized citizen may protect her legally, but politically, it’s a landmine. Conservatives see her as proof of lax enforcement.
Trump’s broader agenda loomed large. His “One Big Beautiful Bill,” now in the Senate, pushes border security, tax cuts, and Medicaid slashes while gutting green-energy programs. It’s a bold play, and Her’s gaffe only fuels its momentum.
The saga of Rep. Her and the Los Angeles unrest reveals a nation at odds. Immigration policy, once a bureaucratic footnote, now drives wedges between citizens and lawmakers alike. Her’s confession, however well-intentioned, may cost her more than votes.
