Mom of Five Deported to Country She's Never Been To!

2025-03-17 12:01:20.639

Ma Yang, a 37-year-old Hmong American woman and mother of five, was deported from Milwaukee to Laos—a country she has never been to—in February. She is currently being held in a rooming house, surrounded by military guards, and lacks access to her necessary insulin and blood pressure medication. She doesn't speak the language and is without any documents. Yang pleaded guilty to marijuana-related charges, believing it wouldn't affect her legal residency, a claim later proven incorrect by her attorney. She served over two years in prison and was subsequently transferred to an ICE facility in Minnesota. There, she signed a document allowing her departure, under the impression she wouldn't be deported, as Laos typically refuses deportees. However, she was deported despite her attorney's and her own belief that her case would be re-opened due to poor legal representation. Her deportation occurred amidst the Trump administration's increased deportation efforts and attempts to utilize the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an attempt which was temporarily blocked by a court order. The Independent has reached out to ICE for comment.