# Laotian Man Deported to Laos After Year in South Sudan

> Laotian man leaves South Sudan after year in detention for Laos after U.S. deportation.
- Title: Laotian Man Deported to Laos After Year in South Sudan
- Summary: Laotian man leaves South Sudan after year in detention for Laos after U.S. deportation. A Laotian man deported by the U.S. to South Sudan returned to Laos…
- Keywords: thongxay nilakout, south sudan, laos, u.s. deportation, detention, human rights, news, local, Laotian, Man, Deported, Year
- Source: Seattletimes — https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/laotian-man-deported-by-us-to-south-sudan-leaves-for-laos-after-year-in-detention
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: thongxay nilakout, south sudan, laos, u.s. deportation, detention, human rights, news, local
## Deportation to South Sudan
A Laotian man deported by the United States to South Sudan left for Laos after more than a year in detention.
## Detention Timeline
Thongxay Nilakout, 49, was detained in Juba, South Sudan’s capital, since July 2025.
## Legal Background
Nilakout was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1995 for a murder in California but was released in 2023 after a Supreme Court ruling.
## Repatriation Process
South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry coordinated repatriation with Laos, providing assurances against torture or ill-treatment upon return.
## Deportation Context
Hundreds of U.S. citizens have been deported to African countries, with South Sudan chosen despite its poor human rights record and political instability.
## Current Status
Four of the original eight deportees remain in South Sudan, including two Burmese and two Cuban nationals, with a Congolese national joining them.
## Key takeaway

A Laotian man deported by the U.S. to South Sudan returned to Laos after over a year in detention.