TLDR:
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom pardoned a Cambodian national convicted of 10 counts of attempted murder, shielding him from deportation.
- Two Catholic leaders urged the pardon, citing Trump’s DHS deportation push as an “injustice.”
- DHS called the move “absolute insanity” and accused Mr. Newsom of putting Americans at risk.
- Mr. Newsom’s office fired back with a Lenten-themed rebuke aimed at the Trump administration.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is invoking the spirit of Lent to defend his decision to pardon a Cambodian immigrant convicted of 10 counts of attempted murder — a move that shields the man from deportation and has triggered a fiery response from federal officials.
Mr. Newsom pardoned Somboon Phaymany on Friday after San Diego Bishop Michael Pham and the Rev. Scott Santarosa vouched for his rehabilitation and urged the governor to defy President Trump’s deportation agenda. The clerics said the Department of Homeland Security was perpetrating an “injustice” by pursuing deportations “just to make their quotas.”
Mr. Phaymany, who participated in a gang-connected drive-by shooting at age 19, served 20 years in prison. No one was killed in the attack.
Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the pardon “absolute insanity,” saying Mr. Newsom “is putting the lives of all Americans at risk.”
Mr. Newsom’s office shot back on social media: “During this Lenten season — a time of repentance and forgiveness — we will continue to take our cues from religious leaders.”
Mr. Newsom has used pardons repeatedly to block deportations of legal immigrants whose convictions would otherwise make them removable.
Read more:
• Catholic leaders pushed Newsom to pardon attempted murderer as defiance of ICE
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
