Father deported to Laos talks to his three Minnesota sons via Ring camera every morning

Zong Yang speaks to his three youngest sons through a doorbell camera every morning at 8 a.m. The call happens as the boys in South St. Paul prepare for the school bus, while Yang sits alone in an apartment in Vientiane, Laos. The time difference is 12 hours. When it is morning in Minnesota, it is evening in Laos.

Yang, 49, was arrested by federal agents in February during Operation Metro Surge. He was deported to Laos in early May. He had lived in Minneapolis and worked the overnight shift at a Home Depot in Inver Grove Heights before his removal. He now watches his family through Ring cameras installed in the living room and front yard of their Minnesota home.

His wife, Linda Yang, 41, manages the household and the children. The family has five sons. King is 3. Titan is 7. Everest is 9. Kenji is 15 and attends high school in South St. Paul. Yaay is 18 and began classes at Winona State University in the fall. Linda works in person at an office and from home. She drops King off at preschool at 8:50 a.m. and picks him up at 11 a.m. to leave with a relative.

Yang described the morning routine as emotionally demanding. He said the period from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. involves a lot of emotion. He tries to guide the boys as they wake up, even if it is only through a phone. He reported that the silence of his apartment in Laos makes waking up difficult. He said he often wonders why he is there by himself.

Linda Yang said the hardest part is watching King grow up with less time with his father. She noted that the older sons understood their father’s presence. King sometimes tries to wrestle with her, a behavior she associated with his father. She said she can see in King’s eyes that he misses him.

Yang lost his U.S. green card after a 1999 felony burglary conviction in Appleton, Wisconsin. He was barred from applying for citizenship and given a final order of deportation. He was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated to the United States at age 3. His family fled Laos after the Vietnam war due to political persecution. He met Linda in 2007 and married her in 2008. He never obtained citizenship in Laos, Thailand, or the United States.

The couple maintains their relationship through phone calls and photos. Linda sends images of the boys playing and attending school. Yang posts videos of his life in Laos on Facebook. He recently bought a Lego set to replicate a bonding activity he shared with his sons in Minnesota. He said he has experienced depression since his deportation and sometimes still thinks he will wake up in Minnesota.

Linda plans to visit Yang in early December. She called the trip a stepping stone for planning their future. They have discussed Yang obtaining Lao citizenship and a passport. They also discussed Linda retiring in Laos after their sons are grown. Yang described the visit as a chance to hold each other and confirm they are moving forward.

Yang said he is slowly finding his footing in Laos. He is not currently working. He offered to teach his friend’s son English. He watched YouTube videos to learn the basics of teaching a new language. He said he cannot look at his current situation as the end.