OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Family and friends of Ton Vongphakdy are pleading for him not to be deported after he was detained at his last immigration hearing for a crime he committed decades ago.

“I need my son to come home,” said Thongkhaine Vongphakdy in tears. She is Ton’s mother; her family came to America in the early 80s as refugees escaping the Vietnam/Laos war.

The family still hasn’t seen Ton since he was detained.

Ton came as a toddler to America in 1981 and has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years.

“I grew up here in America. All we know is the U.S., that’s all we know,” said Nouni Vongphadky, his sister.

Ton, though, at 19 years old, was arrested for theft in drug offenses in the 90’s. He served around seven years for the crimes and got out of jail.

When he got out, his family said he turned a new leaf. He then met his wife, got a house, had two girls, and became an Oklahoman.

“He doesn’t deserve this; no family should have to go through something like this,” said Nouni.

She referred to his orders for deportation back to Laos, a country he hasn’t been to since he was a toddler.

That crime from the 90s is what could end up sending him to Laos.

“They’re (Ton’s daughters) very sad right now that they’re father has been taken away from them,” said Nouni.

They said he has had a working visa and has been going to his immigration hearings. However, he had a feeling that his next one would be his last.

Brian Ruttman is a longtime friend of Ton’s and said that he told him at their Memorial Day barbecue that he was about to be deported.

“He said goodbye, and I was like, that’s not going to happen,” said Ruttman after he was told by Ton that he would be deported.

At his next immigration hearing, Ruttman said, Ton was detained and sent away.

Communication between family, Ruttman said, has been nearly impossible.

“His wife and daughters haven’t seen him since he was taken away; that’s devastating,” said Ruttman.

He said the family sent communications out, but never really heard back a set answer of where Ton was.

But then, they were finally told that he was at a facility in Cushing, that he would eventually be sent to a facility in Texas, and then sent back to Laos.

“It’s a country where he doesn’t speak the language. He doesn’t read or write the language. A country where he doesn’t know anyone. That’s not his home, Oklahoma is his home,” said Ruttman.

The family has made contact but still hasn’t been able to see him, according to Ruttman.

“I need my son to come back home. He’s so sweet and so nice, please don’t send him away,” said Ton’s mother.

Ruttman said it’s frustrating because Ton has served his time and has built a life in Oklahoma.

“He was told that they were sending him ‘home,’ and it just devastated him and his wife,” said Ruttman.

It’s unknown if he is getting a hearing, where, or when that would even be.

Ruttman started a GoFundMe in the hopes that money would help make the legal battle in immigration court a little easier. You can find it here.

News 4 reached out to a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday but has not heard back as of Wednesday evening.