In May, 48-year-old Zong Yang was deported to Laos due to a felony burglary conviction from his twenties, leaving his wife, Linda Yang, to raise their five sons alone in South St. Paul, Minnesota. After ICE agents detained Zong following a targeted February stop, the family’s long-held sense of security was shattered. This occasional series follows the Yang family as they navigate the emotional, daily, and financial realities of life after deportation.
Taken: A Family’s Story of Deportation
Taken: A family’s story of deportation is an occasional series that will publish throughout the year following the Yang family as they navigate a new normal without husband and father, Zong, who was deported to Laos in May. Linda Yang is now raising their sons alone in South St. Paul, juggling the needs of a recent high school graduate and four other boys ranging in age from 3 to 15.
This story comes to you from the Hmong Times’ partnership with the Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering Minnesota’s immigrants and communities of color. Sign up for a free newsletter to receive Sahan’s stories in your inbox.
An Unexpected Interception on a Cold Morning
On a cold February morning, Linda Yang drove to work when a large white van suddenly cut her off. Other vehicles rushed in, blocking her car on all sides. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents jumped out and approached her vehicle.
They asked to go to her home to arrest her husband, Zong. Linda refused. Zong was home with their youngest sons, and she refused to let agents create a traumatic scene in front of the children. She wanted her five sons to say their goodbyes in peace.
The agents compromised, telling her they would come for Zong at 9:00 a.m. the following morning. Linda rushed to pick up her older sons from school and immediately called Zong. “ICE is coming to get you,” she warned him. “They’re going to come tomorrow morning.”
Shattered Security and a Looming Threat
For most of their marriage, Linda and Zong felt safe from deportation. Zong, 48, held a past felony burglary conviction from his twenties, which resulted in a final removal order. However, federal authorities had not enforced it for years.
That sense of security shattered last year when local news reports revealed that authorities were actively deporting Hmong residents from Minnesota and across the country. The reality of their situation quickly set in as enforcement actions escalated in their community.
A Final Farewell and a Family’s New Reality
When morning arrived, the family prepared for the inevitable. ICE agents arrived as promised, took Zong into custody, and held him in detention until his deportation to Laos three months later in May.
Now, Linda navigates daily life in South St. Paul as a single mother. She manages household responsibilities while supporting five growing boys through profound grief and sudden transition. This series follows the Yang family as they rebuild their lives, hold onto hope, and confront the ongoing impact of permanent separation.
Taken continues in the next issue of the Hmong Times.
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