On July 5th, the federal prosecutors in Guam announced that Dong Changcai, 61, and Tang Yongbing, 54, both Chinese citizens, were sentenced for conspiring to illegally transport people from Saipan to Guam. Each of them was sentenced to 30 days in jail, one year of supervised release, and 50 hours of community service. After serving their sentences, they were ordered to immediately return to China at their own expense.
In July 2023, twelve Chinese citizens and two crew members attempted to smuggle themselves to Guam from Saipan by speedboat. Apart from the two crew members who were U.S. citizens, the rest were not granted permission to travel to Guam. They set off at 9 p.m. and the following day, near Rota Island, they ran out of fuel and drifted at sea, requiring emergency rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard.
After over 14 hours of drifting, the crew members sent out a distress signal via radio, and they were eventually rescued by a U.S. Navy helicopter.
During the sentencing hearing, both defendants expressed remorse for their actions. One of them recalled being afraid that the boat would capsize in the “dark night and giant waves,” believing that they were “doomed” this time, and thus, he was grateful for the U.S. government saving them.
Federal prosecutor Anderson in Guam stated, “Federal and local partners will continue to combat illegal travel between the Northern Mariana Islands (referred to as CNMI, with Saipan being the largest island) and Guam.” He emphasized, “This activity abuses the CNMI parole program. Besides risking the lives of rescuers, it also poses a significant risk to those participating in these voyages.”
The head of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) branch in Honolulu, Lucia Cabral-DeArmas, said, “Those who seek to undermine the rule of law and jeopardize the lives of others for profit will be held accountable. Fortunately, there were no casualties this time, and HSI will continue to utilize its expertise to protect human rights.”
This rescue operation was coordinated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy with the assistance of allied military personnel and resources.
In recent years, Saipan and Guam have become new routes for Chinese citizens to attempt illegal entry into the United States. Due to Saipan’s visa-free tourism policy for Chinese visitors and the shorter flight distance from major Chinese cities to Saipan, it has gained popularity. However, Saipan does not offer political asylum or work permits, while Guam provides opportunities for asylum seekers, including the possibility of obtaining a work permit through an EAD card. Despite this, as a U.S. military base, Guam does not offer visa-free travel.
Last July, these Chinese citizens, with the help of Saipan residents, attempted to illegally sail to Guam and were subsequently charged. Some of the defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced, while others are awaiting trial.