Cuong Chanh Phan, a 49-year-old Vietnamese man with a prior conviction for a notorious double murder, was arrested during a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Los Angeles.
Phan is in the United States illegally.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Phan’s arrest on June 7, highlighting his criminal past as part of a broader federal immigration enforcement action that has been met with significant local resistance.
According to a DHS statement released on June 9, 2025, Phan was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder. The charges stem from a 1994 incident where Phan and alleged fellow gang members opened fire on a high school graduation party in San Marino, California, following a dispute.
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The shooting resulted in the deaths of Dennis Buan, 18, and David Hang, 15, and left seven others wounded. A massive manhunt at the time led to the arrest of Phan and eight other individuals linked to the crime.
The recent ICE operation that led to Phan’s arrest is part of a larger federal initiative that has seen numerous individuals detained in the Los Angeles area. This has prompted a volatile response, with large-scale protests and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.
The situation has also created a sharp divide between federal and state officials. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin issued a blistering statement, criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
“It is sickening that Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass continue to protect violent criminal illegal aliens at the expense of the safety of American citizens and communities,” McLaughlin stated. “This cold-blooded killer is who the rioters are trying to protect over U.S. citizens.”
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In response, both Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass have condemned the federal actions. They have argued that the ICE operations and the subsequent deployment of the National Guard by the Trump administration have unnecessarily inflamed tensions and created chaos.
“This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Governor Newsom said Sunday.
Mayor Bass echoed these sentiments, stating she had attempted to dissuade the administration from the deployment and that “the last thing this city needs is civil unrest that is provoked.”
“This criminal illegal alien is who Governor Newsom, Mayor Bass, and the rioters in Los Angeles are trying to protect over U.S. citizens,” DHS said in a statement.
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The protests in Los Angeles have been ongoing since the ICE operations began, with significant demonstrations reported across the city. The unrest has led to numerous arrests and accusations of excessive force by law enforcement.
Phan is now in federal custody, and his case, along with the others arrested in the operation, will proceed through the immigration court system. The political and social fallout from these events continues to unfold, highlighting the deep divisions over immigration policy and enforcement in the United States.
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