She lost her one-and-only permanent residence in Milwaukee where she had lived her whole life.
The unexpected expulsion of this mother from her home has put her family in disarray.
Ma Yang and her Hmong parents entered Thailand seeking safety from the Vietnam War when she was born at age 37.
The young asylum seeker immigrated to the United States at birth and developed up in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
She resided in America for 39 years and together with Michael Bub raised five children for 16 years.
Yang worked as a nail technician and stayed legally recognized in the United States throughout her career.
A single mistake with the law forced her life to take a permanent change.
Although Mrs. Yang did not know about its criminal past her family took possession of a house involved in a large-scale marijuana trafficking operation.
During the investigation she helped prepare packages with money that suppliers shipped from Canada to the US.
Law enforcement arrested her for drug operation participation which forced her to plead guilty and sentenced her to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Once free she expected to see her children and return to her prior activities.
Despite her freedom hopes she was taken to a Minnesota ICE detention facility.
Her past legal issue disqualified her under US immigration rules.
An offense by someone with legal residency starts her mandatory deportation procedure.
Both Yang and her attorneys tried but failed to fight the immigration authority decision.
An immigration judge decided to return Yang to Laos at his December 2022 ruling.
She had never visited Laos before and had neither relatives nor linguistic ability there.
Through legal means she tried to prevent deportation before it would take effect.
Unluckily on March 6 the authorities moved her against her will to Vientiane in Laos.
She now lives alone in an unfamiliar country because she does not have her necessary documents.
Security troops watch over her at a governmental housing center.
The authorities blocked the release of her documents which stops her from finding a place to live or obtaining work and necessary medical care.
The diabetes medications Yang needs daily cause her great concern that she may run out at any time.
During the initial five days after arrival she received orders not to speak with anyone.
A military official told her she was “free to go,” but without proper identification, she remains stuck.
“How do I rent, or buy, or anything, with no papers?” Yang expressed her frustration.
“I’m a nobody right now.”
The people close to Yang in Milwaukee struggle to deal with her unexpected departure.
The disabled man who lives with her must take over parenting duties because his partner got deported.
Their oldest child has become responsible for looking after her younger brothers and sisters.
These families of mine suffer strongly because they need to understand what happened.
Bub struggled to understand how Yang had been quickly removed from the country.
According to him Yang was not able to reach her contacts before leaving.
The United States has made its deportation actions stronger which impacts many residents who have lived here for a long time.
The new immigration laws allow officials to deport legal immigrants who broke the law before giving them due process.
The United States immigration system now enforces deportation differently than before.
Federal statistics show that Laos has not traditionally taken back its citizens deported from the United States.
U.S. authorities did not send anyone from America to Laos during the previous fiscal year.
Although Yang had no support network in Laos she was still sent there.
“The United States sent me back to die,” she said.
“I don’t even know where to go. I don’t even know what to do.” Her situation makes advocates demand fair treatment for deportees like her.
The public thinks Yang’s consequences are more extreme than her problem needed.
Yang requests America to let her return to the life she created because she cannot survive alone in another country.Her family works for her return home while they hope her story will change how people view immigration policies.
“How do you send us back when we fought for you guys?” Yang asked.
“How is this OK?”
Feature Image Credit: (TMJ4)