According to insiders in the immigration law industry, following the deportation of a group of illegal Chinese immigrants on October 15, in mid-November, the United States will once again send back 150 Chinese nationals who entered the country illegally. This is the third large-scale deportation operation carried out by the US since 2018. In response to this emergency situation, law firms in New York and readers of this newspaper have disclosed that even before boarding the plane, individuals can request to stay based on their own circumstances.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that they just executed their second chartered flight operation on October 15, deporting 113 Chinese nationals back to China. DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas stated that this demonstrates the US strengthening penalties against individuals who illegally enter the country. “Those intending to immigrate should not believe the smugglers’ lies – Chinese citizens in the US without legal basis will be rapidly expelled,” he said in a recent statement.
A recent report indicates the continuation of the US crackdown – in mid-November, another deportation flight is set to return 150 people from Texas to China. A client at the Qin Susan Law Firm in New York has received the deportation documents. The firm is working on a document called an “Emergency Stay” in an attempt to prevent the client from boarding the plane.
Manager Wang Taylor of the law firm explained that currently, Chinese detainees are facing expedited removal procedures, where asylum seekers commonly go through the “credible fear” process within 3 to 6 months, attending hearings while in immigration detention. This particular client has not had either an interview or a second hearing and has now received documents for deportation.
“Willing to help her out of sympathy because her father is still awaiting an interview in another immigration jail, we prepared an “Emergency Stay” document to pull her back from the plane,” Manager Wang said. “If you have immediate family members applying for asylum in the US, as a relative, you can take action to protect your loved ones, as it is your right.”
Additionally, a reader of this newspaper revealed that her friend, referred to as Xiao Zhang, was fortunate enough to remain off the deportation flight due to the “Emergency Stay” reason.
“Xiao Zhang was already taken to the airport, but while waiting at the gate, the immigration officer chatted with him, asking how he came. Xiao Zhang mentioned they illegally entered together with his mother. ‘Where is your mother now?’ Xiao Zhang replied she’s at a certain immigration detention center. Upon hearing this, the immigration officer decided not to deport him right there in the waiting area,” the reader disclosed.
A reporter from this newspaper personally met with Xiao Zhang, who confirmed the incident but declined an interview.
Manager Wang mentioned that Xiao Zhang’s experience is a lucky case, emphasizing the necessity for most immigrants facing deportation to seek professional legal assistance, especially with the current US efforts to combat illegal entry.
“Many people do not understand US immigration law, often making mistakes in answers or form-filling; or think they must have suffered torture to qualify as ‘persecuted.’ Combined with a lack of English proficiency, individuals can easily be denied and swiftly put into deportation proceedings,” Wang stated, while advising Chinese individuals, “Do not blindly attempt to enter illegally, as most individuals might end up waiting in Mexico for 7 to 8 months, or even a year, and the current ‘credible fear’ interviews are becoming more demanding.”
He also revealed that under the Biden administration’s border policies, there has been a noticeable decrease in the flow of individuals attempting illegal border crossings.