Tith Ton, who came to the U.S. legally with refugee status, has served roughly 22 years of a life sentence for the murder of an alleged gang member. Based in part on his work as a substance abuse counselor, he was deemed suitable for parole earlier this year and scheduled to be released from San Quentin State Prison in November.
But instead of looking forward to freedom, Ton can expect to be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Cambodia upon his release.
On Friday, immigration advocates and activists gathered at the California State Capitol to call on Gov. Gavin Newsom to stop the impending deportation of Ton and others in similar situations.
