We want to hear from you: Milwaukee woman was deported to Laos. Was that right?
The nation's debate about immigration struck a chord in an unlikely place: A 37-year-old Hmong American woman from Milwaukee who was deported to Laos, despite never living in that country or speaking the language.
The Journal Sentinel on Friday first reported the story of Ma Yang, 37, a nail technician and mother of five who has lived in Wisconsin since she was a baby. She said she was detained at a check-in appointment with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in mid-February and was flown last week to Laos.
Opinion: Worst atrocities of the past began with mass deportations. Is history repeating?
According to the story, Yang was born in Bangkok, Thailand, the daughter of Hmong refugees after the Vietnam War. She was 8 months old when her family resettled in Milwaukee. She was a legal permanent U.S. resident starting at age 7, but that status was revoked when she pleaded guilty to taking part in a marijuana trafficking operation in 2022.
Was it right to deport Ma Yang? We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts with us and we'll post them in this story as they roll in.
Jim Fitzhenry is the Ideas Lab Editor/Director of Community Engagement for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reach him at jfitzhen@gannett.com or 920-993-7154.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ICE deports Milwaukee woman. Share your perspective. | Opinion
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