Viroth Phannavong Arrested by ICE in Boston
Convicted child molester from Laos faces deportation
On August 20, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 58-year-old Viroth Phannavong in Boston, concluding a years-long legal process following his conviction for child molestation in Rhode Island.
Phannavong, a Laotian national living unlawfully in the U.S., was convicted on three counts of first-degree child molestation involving his former girlfriend’s daughter in Providence. His conviction was upheld by the Rhode Island Supreme Court after he unsuccessfully appealed for a new trial.
Following his conviction, ICE placed Phannavong in custody as part of a broader operation targeting individuals convicted of serious or violent crimes. Officials described him and others arrested as “the worst of the worst.”
This arrest is part of a larger immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s second term, during which deportations have sharply increased—particularly among those with criminal records and Southeast Asian heritage.
More than 4,800 Lao-Americans have been placed on deportation lists since January 2025. Recent high-profile deportations include Ma Yang, a Hmong-American mother of five, and Thongxay Nilakout, a man previously imprisoned for a violent crime committed as a teen.
Phannavong remains in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings.
