The House Committee on Homeland Security Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability held a hearing on Thursday (May 16) to examine the unprecedented increase in the number of Chinese citizens illegally crossing into the United States. The chairman of the committee, Dan Bishop, stated in his opening remarks that this is a “serious national security concern,” especially as the number of Chinese citizens crossing the southern border of the United States in the past 7 months has exceeded 27,000, surpassing the record set in the 2023 fiscal year. At this rate, the number of Chinese illegal immigrants this fiscal year is projected to increase by 23 times compared to two years ago.
According to records from the Border Patrol, encounters with Chinese citizens illegally entering the United States from 2007 to 2021 were relatively low, averaging slightly over 1,000 per year along the southwest border. However, under the leadership of the Biden administration, this situation has drastically changed, with the number increasing from 1,970 in the 2022 fiscal year to 24,048 in the 2023 fiscal year, representing a 1100% increase.
Bishop stated, “In the past seven months, from (last year) October to (this year) April, the Border Patrol has encountered 27,496 illegal border crossings by Chinese citizens, surpassing last year’s total. At this rate, the total number of Chinese illegal immigrants for the entire (2024) fiscal year is projected to increase by 2300%.”
He further expressed concerns about the handling of Chinese individuals, noting that under the Biden administration’s leadership, Border Patrol agents have been instructed to conduct brief basic questioning when dealing with Chinese citizens, including general background questions, rather than thorough interrogation.
Bishop questioned the Border Patrol’s focus on asking about military service, education, birthplace in China, employment, and political ties to the Communist Party, while neglecting to inquire about the possibility of individuals obeying orders from the Chinese Communist Party or the People’s Liberation Army. He emphasized that individuals crossing illegally might provide answers as instructed by smugglers to gain entry into the U.S. mainland.
Citing a Border Patrol official, Bishop mentioned the difficulty in determining the motivations of detainees from distant countries like China. The official stated that it can be challenging to ascertain why they come and that crucial information may be concealed, including their motives, ideologies, and reasons for crossing the border.
Bishop underscored that some Chinese citizens coming to the U.S. may have more sinister motives. He referenced a federal indictment in North Carolina last month, revealing partnerships between Mexican drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations from China. He emphasized the exploitation of the U.S.’ open borders by the CCP and transnational criminal groups, highlighting the significant national security vulnerability posed by the surge of Chinese citizens at the U.S. border.
According to reports by the Associated Press, Beijing and Washington have quietly resumed cooperation on repatriating illegal Chinese immigrants detained in the U.S. Following President Joe Biden’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in November 2023 in California, the two countries are reestablishing and expanding contacts.
In August 2022, the Chinese government halted all cooperation and exchanges with Washington after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, including issues related to illegal immigration and repatriation. Subsequently, there was a sharp increase in the number of Chinese immigrants illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico. In 2023, border officials in the southern border arrested over 37,000 Chinese citizens, tenfold more than the previous year, intensifying tensions over immigration during the presidential election.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas informed the House of Representatives during a budget hearing in April that he had initiated “contacts” with Chinese counterparts to ensure the commencement of repatriation flights. He stated that a repatriation flight had flown to China, marking the first of its kind in many years.
While the number of Chinese immigrants arrested by the Border Patrol peaked in December last year, there has been a downward trend in the first three months of 2024.
(Source: Voice of America)