St. Paul Woman Protesting in Washington D.C. on President Trump’s Deportation Policies

YINGYA VANG SAYS HER FAMILY HAS BEEN DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY DEPORTATION AND HOPES HER STORY CAN HELP ANOTHER FAMILY. OUR WASHINGTON D.C. CORRESPONDENT, ALEXIS WAINWRIGHT REPORTS

WASHINGTON D.C. — One St. Paul woman traveled all the way to Washington, D.C. to protest Trump administration policies on deportation.

She hopes her story can make a difference.

“My dad was actually affected by deportation,” said Yingya Vang, of St. Paul. “In 2012, he was detained.”

Vang has seen deportation first hand.

“At that time, my brother was five-years-old and it was really hard to tell him that our loving father and hard-working father was in jail,” she explained. “You know, jail is only for ‘bad people’, right? He asked me.”

After facing her personal issues, Vang stepped in to bring awareness to Minnesota’s local problem.

“We have a whole group and I have been working with the Minnesota 8 and working on some issue campaigns to make sure immigrants, refugees and families are safe,” said Vang.

She took a stand with others to shut down refugee resettlement outside the White House.

Other immigrant communities came together to address the resettlement.

“In the end, it is this history and our future that depends on immigrants and refugees,” said Washington D.C. 7th District Representative Pramila Jayapal. “Our economy depends on it and we are not a country that deports and destroys families.”

Vang will continue to share her story and meet local legislators on Capitol Hill.