Capstone paper · Refugee policy · December 2025
Rethinking Refugee Repatriation and Negotiation
Context
The story of the Hmong migration the United States, specifically focusing on the closure of Wat Tham Krabok camp in 2005 and Thailand’s forced repatriations to Laos in 2008 and 2009, show us the long arc of how geopolitical conflicts yield consequences which ripple across Southeast Asia and the American Midwest. Although this conflict finds its roots beginning in the 1960s, the unsettled legacy of the CIA’s Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War continues to shape and influence the make-up of our communities, policy decisions, and refugee resettlement.
My central argument is that the international community brutally failed to manage the Wat Tham Krabok closure and the following repatriation efforts because negotiations were driven by pressure and necessity, rather than a rights-based, collaborative, and monitored framework. It should have been focused on mutual interests rather than coercion.
I grew up in Minnesota, surrounded by large oaks and wandering white tail deer. I tapped maple syrup and have attempted to grow a garden, although failing numerous times. What makes my story so interesting is that it’s the same experience of a group that is so vastly different from my Irish-Catholic identity. If I drive east to St. Paul you’ll stumble across a village, the Hmong Village, it’s an indoor shopping center that reminds you of South East Asia, or if you walk just north of the state capitol building, you’ll discover the Hmong Marketplace which Hmong farmers all over the state descend upon offering their best harvests. It is so special because I come from a cattle ranching family, and to see Hmong embracing the same agrarian culture that has always steered this place is incredible. But, I always wondered what brought them here. In order to understand how this place became home to the Hmong, we have to understand how they earned a spot in our country.
Background on the Conflict
Hmong are a nationless ethnic group that resides in Southeast Asia. Over the 19th century the Hmong migrated between China, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. They traversed rocky terrain fleeing imperialist powers. As the Vietnam War unfolded, the United States Central Intelligence Agency discreetly trained Hmong to become soldiers to fight in Laos. The operation is known as Secret War and the co-opting of Hmong soldiers to fight the North Vietnamese meant trouble for their people. The start of the tribulations for the Hmong people and prompting their arrival to America occurred following Laos’s independence from France in 1954. What made this unique was when Laos gained independence, it was established as a neutral country. Yet, the United States Central Intelligence Agency ran a covert operation in which Hmong men were recruited to fight communism (Behnke, 2022). Their feats and accomplishments were rigorous but commendable: attacking the communists along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, information gathering on enemy forces, protecting U.S. infrastructure, and saving injured pilots. This was a violation of the Geneva Accords (Chippewa Valley Museum, n.d.). Once the fighting ceased and the United States had lost the war in Vietnam, communist forces persecuted the Hmong ultimately uprooting their people leaving them without a home.
A detailed explanation on what followed America’s departure, PBS, The Split Horn:
“In February 1973, the Vientiane Agreement was signed, calling for a cease-fire in Laos, a coalition government and the end of U.S. air support. American relief programs ceased, and the Lao’s People Party declared the Hmong enemies of the state. Between 1,000 and 3,000 Hmong, mostly high ranking army officers and their families, were airlifted to Thailand, while thousands more who had fought for the CIA or remained neutral in the war were left behind. In a ravaged country strictly controlled by the North Vietnamese, many Hmong were forcibly relocated to lowland areas and assigned to state-owned collective farms. More than 10,000 Lao intellectuals, civil servants, teachers, police officers and other suspected royalist sympathizers were interned in “seminar camps” for forced labor and political indoctrination. Fearing retribution and famine, most chose to migrate to Thailand on foot, journeys on which many Hmong died from disease, starvation, exposure and drowning while crossing the Mekong River which borders Laos and Thailand” (Siegel and McSilver, 2001).
Closure and Repatriation
As time went on, the Thailand government could not sustain suitable conditions at Wat Tham Krabok. Education programs, security enforcement, health and hygiene all took a toll. Ultimately, the camp had to close meaning the Thai government had to find an alternative solution: resettlement. Thailand alongside the United Nations High Commission on Refugees worked to get the United States to accept the Hmong refugees. Yet, prior to the departure rumors spread that the Hmong were to be forced back to Laos or to a military camp unless registered with the Thai military. Those who did not register properly remained ineligible for resettlement. 15,658 Hmong refugees were approved for resettlement. (Grigoleit, 2006). The final group left Wat Tham Krabok in 2005. One state that agreed to accept the Hmong refugees was Minnesota resulting in the admittance of “4,972 refugees in 2004 and 2005. A local concentration occurred in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Hennepin County receiving 29% and Ramsey County receiving 63%” (Grigoleit, 2006). Later on in 2009, Thailand ramped up their efforts to evict around 4,000 Hmong asylum seekers back to Laos. Thailand applied armed force utilizing batons and shields. The objective was to move the Hmong to the Thai-Laotian border, although the Hmong remain fearful of persecution if they return to Laos. (Xaykaothao, 2009).
Evaluation
The international community did take legitimate efforts to aid the Hmong refugees, yet they did so without a comprehensive plan, leaving many Hmong left behind. Although the United States accept and resettle a large population, they did so without applying any meaningful pressure upon Laos or Thailand to ensure further resettlement efforts are consistent, instead America and the UN failed to provide oversight and policy discrepancies emerged as Thailand and Laos gave false assurances of the safety and treatment of the Hmong during repatriation. The ultimate failure was a lack of mutual interests, negotiations and comprehensive plans. We have seen short term necessities take precedence over the humane treatment of the Hmong.
Recommendations for a better Wat Tham Krabok Closure and Repatriation of Hmong to Laos
Given the ongoing nature of this crisis and fear of persecution felt amongst the Hmong refugees, we must establish a more deliberate, multi-pronged, and internationally coordinated effort that should have been implemented. Here the steps we could have taken to ensure a safe closure and resettlement for those impacted by this conflict.
1. UN Negotiations grounded in Mutual Security Interests
The UN Security Council, alongside the governments of Thailand, Laos, and the United States should have met and convened proper negotiations that could have been mediated through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Through these talks, the highest value of regional security such as migration decreases, border enforcement, and the shared interests between Thailand and Laos would have outlined incentives and benefits rather than having to bear the burdens implicated by the influx of refugees.
2. End Coercive Returns and Reintegrations
If Thailand or any other country moves to strictly enforce repatriation to Laos should be overseen by the UNHCR to ensure that the refugees are doing so voluntarily, non-coercively (as we saw with the requirement to register with the Thai military, ultimately leaving hundreds of the most vulnerable of the Hmong population behind), as well as ongoing monitoring of integration into resettlements. This would ensure greater transparency and cause less chaos within refugee communities, especially as these communities have spent decades living in fear of retaliation if they return to Laos. These are populations who fought alongside the United States and they are nationless people. It is the responsibility of the United States, the UN, and the countries directly involved to ensure the safety and well-being of the Hmong.
3. Development and Reintegration Programs in Laos
The international community should fund the creation of schools, clinics, agricultural infrastructure, and governance support. For those Hmong who do remain in Laos, they should be ensured with access and stability and be able to steward new communities in the country they once called home. Transitional Language Centers should also be developed in tandem with the Saint Paul Public Schools program as a way to facilitate cross country educational enrichment. (Ngo, n.d.)
4. Tie Development to Human Rights Compliance
If the country of Laos violates or fails to protect Hmong settlements, whether they begin surveilling, coercive labor, relocating, or political retribution, the United States and UNHCR should seek to suspend development. This maximizes the sovereignty of Laos while also giving the global community leverage for compliances towards human rights.
5. Hmong Family Reunification
The United States has long been home to the Hmong diaspora community, most notably in midwest states like Minnesota and Wisconsin. In order to streamline and improve a proactive family reunification, the United States must: expedite visas for the remaining relatives of Hmong Americans. Aim to relocate the families from Wat Tham Krabok with their families in America. Ensure that all vulnerable populations, such as the anti-Communist in Laos, families, and the disabled are able to take priority in the reunification efforts. Additionally, this would mean the end of forced repatriation to Laos. All Hmong refugees with families in America should be resettled to the United States, not sent back to Laos.
Conclusion
The Hmong traversed the mountains of Laos, endured unsanitary conditions in Thai refugee camps, and have found refuge in the chilly Minnesota winters. Their story is one of how global conflicts uproot generations and reshape landscapes all across the world. The closure of the Wat Tham Krabok camp and the forcefully violent repatriations that followed suit have shown the world how a fragile and stateless people’s fate was left in the hands of governments who failed to hold any decent negotiations, put into place programs, or hold one another account in any way that cared about the longevity of the Hmong people. If the international community approached this with cooperation, transparency, and grounding the negotiations in mutual interest, we could have witnessed a safer, stable, and dignified resettlement for the Hmong. Moving forward, the recommendations should be read, reworked, and implemented for the betterment of the displacement of vulnerable populations, not just the Hmong, but also setting precedent for future opportunities.
References
Behnke, Duke. 2022. “How did Hmong people find their way to Wisconsin? The answer has roots in America’s Secret War.” PBS Wisconsin. pbswisconsin.org.
Chippewa Valley Museum. n.d. “The Secret War.” Chippewa Valley Museum. Accessed November 29, 2025. cvmuseum.com.
Grigoleit, Grit. 2006. “Coming Home? The Integration of Hmong Refugees from Wat Tham Krabok, Thailand, into American Society.” Hmong Studies Journal 7:22. hmongstudiesjournal.org.
Hmong Cultural Center. n.d. “New Year blessing with Shaman, St. Paul, Minnesota.” Hmong Cultural Center. Accessed November 29, 2025. collection.mndigital.org/catalog/p16022coll63:30.
Ngo, Bic, Martha Bigelow, and Kyla L. Wahlstrom. n.d. “The Transition of Wat Tham Krabok Hmong Children to Saint Paul Public Schools: Perspectives of Teachers, Principals, and Hmong Parents.” Hmong Studies Journal 8:35. Accessed November 29, 2025. hmongstudiesjournal.org.
Pao, Lor. 2004. “Color Photograph.” digital.library.wisc.edu.
Siegel, Taggart, and Jim McSilver. 2001. “THE SPLIT HORN: The Journey.” PBS. pbs.org.
Xaykaothao, Doualy, and Linda Wertheimer. 2009. “Thailand Begins Forcibly Repatriating Hmong.” NPR. npr.org.
Written for the Capstone Seminar, taught by Dr. Marni Berg, December 10, 2025.
