Gavin Newsom pardons criminal illegal migrant convicted for attempted murder: DHS

California Gov. Gavin Newsom pardoned a convicted attempted murderer who was an undocumented immigrant, opening the possibility for him to stay in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Somboon Phaymany was convicted of numerous charges, including attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, assault with a firearm, and conspiracy to commit assault with a firearm after a judge sentenced him in 1997 to 14 years to life.

In December 2025, Newsom pardoned him for transforming his life and providing “evidence that he is living an upright life and has demonstrated his fitness for restoration of civic rights and responsibilities.”

DHS said the pardon allows Phaymany to “re-open immigration proceedings rather than be removed from the U.S. and will be able to remain in California communities.”

“Gov. Newsom pardoning an illegal alien convicted of attempted murder, so he can remain in our country is absolute INSANITY,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his sanctuary politicians are protecting. He is putting the lives of all Americans at risk.”

Newsom’s office blasted feds: “spare us the outrage.”

“The same people who turned the pardon power into a rewards program for political loyalists and the rich don’t get to lecture anyone about clemency,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom, told The Post. “In California, it’s a transparent, rigorous legal process focused on individualized review of each applicant’s rehabilitation and public safety considerations — not political favors.”

Phaymany, who was 19 at the time of his conviction, lost his green card and was placed in removal proceedings and issued a final order of removal by a judge in 2019.

“Gavin Newsom’s pardon took away this attempted murderer’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the U.S.,” McLaughlin said.

According to the governor’s office, Phaymany, who applied for executive clemency early last year, was a passenger in a car that pulled into a parking lot and confronted a group of rival gang members 30 years ago — and was not the shooter.

Phaymany was discharged from parole with a perfect record in 2023 and is now the primary caretaker for his elderly parents. He also volunteers with his Buddhist and Unitarian church communities and mentors at-risk youth.

“This act of clemency for Mr. Phaymany does not minimize or forgive his conduct or the harm it caused. It does recognize the work he has done since to transform himself,” Newsom wrote in the pardon notice.

Phaymany’s pardon was backed by several elected officials, including Monica Montgomery Steppe, Paloma Aguirre and Terra Lawson-Remer, as well as Sean Elo-Rivera and Jose Rodriguez, among others, according to the governor’s office.

Earlier this month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent a letter to Newsom and the state attorney general urging them to stop “sanctuary” policies that allow criminal undocumented immigrants to walk out of jails and back onto the streets.

The letter asked whether the state would be complying with immigration detainers — requests to local law enforcement to hold an undocumented immigrant who is about to be released from custody after an arrest or upon completion of a sentence.

The federal government alleges that at least 4,500 undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds have been released back onto American streets by California.

In a separate response on social media, the governor’s press office doubled down on its position.

“During this Lenten season — a time of repentance and forgiveness — we will continue to take our cues from religious leaders, not those who claim Christian nationalism but can’t tell Peter from Paul,” the office wrote on X.

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