Recent Minnesota Pardon and Its Impacts on Immigration Consequences
The May 4th pardon of Ricky Chandee is in the news. In January of 2026, he was scooped up by ICE in Operation Metro Surge. He had a 1993 felony on his record that he committed when he was 18 years old. He had no criminal history since then. Whether the ICE knew this or not, Mr. Chandee had previously applied for a pardon, he had prior to being seized by ICE.
The Minnesota pardon process generally
In Minnesota pardons are two step process. You first go before the Clemency Review Commission to argue your case. The Clemency Review Commission consists of nine commissioners. Then the Clemency Review Commission either recommends a pardon or recommends denying a pardon to the Minnesota Pardon Board, who consist of the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. The Clemency Review Commission often has a strong impact on how the Minnesota Pardon Board decides the case, but they always retain the right to make their own independent determination regardless of the recommendation.
The emergency pardon session
This case was unique in that the next Minnesota Pardon Board meeting was not until June 10, 2026. But Ricky Chandee was facing imminent deportation, and the Minnesota Pardon Board held an emergency meeting to decide the issue prior to his removal. Mr. Chandee had already received a unanimous recommendation from the Clemency Review Commission. And it was communicated by the Minnesota Pardon Board that they would have decided the case the same if it had been heard June 10th. But this case generated a lot of news from the Star Tribune and MPR amongst other sources, because of the emergency session and the immigration consequences.
A pardon’s impact on immigration
A Minnesota pardon, “sets aside the conviction and purges the conviction from an individual’s criminal record.” Minnesota statute 638.12 subd. 1(d). If a conviction from Minnesota is the reason that you are facing immigration consequences, generally, a pardon that sets aside the conviction does exactly what the statue says and sets it aside. However, I am not an immigration attorney and I always recommend people with immigration concerns to talk with an immigration attorney.
Conclusion
If you are wanting a pardon to remove an old criminal record, an attorney that is knowledgeable and experienced about pardon is of immense importance in helping clear your record. Contact Subzero Expungements, Pardons & Appeals for a free consultation. 651-248-5142