United States Signs Historical Agreement with Vietnam

Hanoi, January 22, 2008

A new area of broader diplomatic cooperation and partnership between the United States and Vietnam was opened today after Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Julie L. Myers and Deputy Foreign Minister Đào Việt Trung signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This agreement, signed during a special ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi, lays out a framework for the prompt and efficient repatriation of those Vietnamese nationals who have been ordered removed by the U.S. Government.  It is also the culmination of almost a decade of negotiations between the United States Department of State and the Government of Vietnam. Under this agreement, Vietnamese nationals who arrived in the United States illegally on or after July 12, 1995 are subject to return to Vietnam.

“This agreement between our countries reflects the commitment of our respective nations to come together and craft viable partnerships that work for both of us,” said Julie L. Myers. “Agreements such as this are the building blocks of diplomacy. This agreement allows us to carry out a judge's order to remove individuals from our country in a safe and humane manner.”

As is the case with other Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) repatriation missions across the globe, the United States will manage the repatriation of Vietnamese nationals in an orderly and safe way, and with respect for the individual human dignity of the person being repatriated.  Efficient and expedient removal procedures are an important part of ICE’s strategy to support the Secure Border Initiative, a comprehensive multi-year plan by the Department of Homeland Security to secure America’s borders and reduce illegal migration.