Fresno actor shares his journey from Laos to the USA

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – As the conversation around immigration intensifies, a Fresno-based actor says he is grateful to be allowed to stay in the United States after the long legal process that brought him and his family here.

Khetphet Phagnasay, a Clovis High School graduate and actor best known for his roles in shows like Dahmer and Interview with a Vampire, recently opened up about his childhood escape from Laos.

“This country has given me so many opportunities,” Phagnasay said. “If I screw up, that’s on me. If I’m successful, I’m blessed. But I also want to contribute.”

Born in a small Laotian village, Phagnasay vividly remembers the journey beginning when he was just six years old.

In a recent blog post titled “My Refugee Journey: A Legal Path to America,” he retraced every step of the process, detailing how his family reported to Thai police, endured interviews, and were held in detention centers before being transferred to Thailand, the Philippines and eventually the U.S.

Throughout the ordeal, Phagnasay says his parents were meticulous about keeping all their documents safe, taping them carefully to preserve them during travel.

That documentation, along with years of interviews and processing, helped the family legally settle in the U.S. and eventually helped Phahnasay gain citizenship.

Phagnasay says the reason he’s telling his story now isn’t to dwell on the past, but to offer hope to others.

“I’m not a victim, I’m a survivor,” he said. “You’re a survivor. You crossed miles to get here, now what are you going to do with it? That’s the question. Everybody has their own answer.”

Phagnasay hopes his reflections remind people that not all refugee stories are the same; some, like his, unfold “step by step, paper by paper, appointment by appointment.”

“I’m not a victim, I’m a survivor. You’re a survivor: you crossed X amount of miles and you survive. What are you going to do with it? That’s the question, and everybody has their own answer.”