Homeland Security Conducts Large-Scale Removal Flight of Chinese Nationals
The U.S. government recently carried out its first major removal flight since 2018, transporting multiple Chinese nationals who were ineligible to remain in the country back to China.
The Department of Homeland Security announced on July 2 that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the removal flight in collaboration with Chinese authorities, sending 116 individuals back to their home country.
This flight is part of a series of over 120 flights chartered by the DHS to more than 20 countries since June 4, following new executive actions by President Joe Biden to pause asylum eligibility when illegal border crossings exceed 2,500 per day for seven consecutive days.
As a result of these actions, the seven-day border encounter average has decreased by more than 40 percent, according to the DHS.
âWe will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States,â stated DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a press release on July 31.
Mr. Mayorkas also mentioned ongoing discussions with Chinese officials regarding illegal border crossings and human smuggling activities.
The number of Chinese nationals apprehended after illegally entering the U.S. has surged in recent years, with Border Patrol agents arresting over 24,000 individuals in fiscal year 2023 compared to approximately 2,000 in fiscal 2022.
Border agents have already apprehended more than 31,000 Chinese nationals in the current fiscal year, highlighting the growing issue.
In response to concerns about smuggling operations, the Ecuadorian government now requires visas for Chinese passport holders entering the country.
In a separate development, the Department of Justice charged two dozen individuals in connection to an alleged Chinese money laundering network linked to the Sinaloa cartel, handling over $50 million in drug trafficking proceeds.
The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed economic sanctions on individuals involved in the money laundering scheme, further addressing cross-border criminal activities.
