In a development that is already fueling outrage among conservatives nationwide, voters in St. Paul elected former state representative Kaohly Her as mayor in November 2025 — despite her own public admission that she and her family are in the United States illegally.
For many Americans watching the nation’s ongoing immigration crisis spiral out of control, the election represents something larger than one city race. Conservatives warn it may signal a disturbing new direction for progressive-run cities increasingly willing to blur the lines between citizenship, legality, and political power.
During her campaign, Her leaned heavily on familiar Democrat talking points, promising safer neighborhoods, stronger partnerships with law enforcement, more affordable housing, and economic revitalization for Minnesota’s capital city.
“We’ve lost critical retailers, and our tax base is stretched thin,” one campaign mailer stated, as Her promised to make St. Paul more welcoming to businesses while expanding housing development.
But the issue that quickly dominated national headlines wasn’t her economic agenda — it was her immigration status.
In campaign materials and public speeches, Her openly described herself as a refugee from Laos and frequently spoke about her family’s journey to America after the Vietnam War. According to Her, her family first settled in Illinois before eventually moving to Wisconsin and then Minnesota, where they became active members of the Hmong community.
Her’s family later helped establish one of the region’s first Southeast Asian food distribution businesses and restaurants, building a successful life in America.
Yet during a special session of the Minnesota Legislature in June 2025, Her made a stunning revelation while lawmakers debated healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants.
“I am illegal in this country,” she declared during the debate. “My parents are illegal here in this country.”
Her explained that her father, who worked processing paperwork for the U.S. Consulate during the collapse of South Vietnam, allegedly altered family documents to bring relatives into the United States under false pretenses.
“What my father did was… he put my grandmother down as his mother,” Her said. “And so, I am illegal in this country.”
That admission shocked many Minnesotans — but apparently not enough to stop her political rise.
To supporters on the left, Her’s story represents resilience and the immigrant experience. But conservatives argue the situation exposes how radically the Democratic Party has shifted on immigration enforcement and the rule of law.
Critics point out the obvious question many Americans are now asking: how can someone openly admitting to being in the country illegally hold public office in a major American city?
The controversy comes as cities across the country increasingly embrace sanctuary policies, taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, and resistance to federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on illegal immigration.
For conservatives, the St. Paul election underscores fears that progressive politicians are normalizing illegal immigration rather than addressing it.
Her attempted to frame her family’s story as one of sacrifice and survival.
“We are not looking to what state is going to give us the best benefits,” she told lawmakers. “We’re looking to just be alive.”
She also argued that her family contributed to America through work, taxes, and community involvement, saying her grandfather “died for democracy.”
But opponents argue the issue is bigger than one family’s story. They say the debate ultimately comes down to whether immigration laws still matter — and whether citizenship itself is being devalued in modern America.
As Democrats continue pushing for expanded benefits, voting access, and political inclusion for non-citizens, many conservatives believe the St. Paul mayoral race could become a blueprint for progressive cities elsewhere in the country.
And for millions of Americans already frustrated by an overwhelmed border system, the election may serve as yet another sign that the immigration debate is entering entirely uncharted territory.
