Hmong people
Hmong people first arrived in the upper Midwest in 1975 or 1976 following the United States withdrawal from the Vietnam War. They were seeking asylum in the United States, as many had worked or served in fighting for U.S. forces in Laos during the "secret war". By 1980 there were 408 Hmong people in the state. Originally only Hmong veterans were allowed to immigrate.