China is among the top three nations most resistant to reclaiming their illegal immigrants from the U.S. In an era where the number of Chinese nationals illegally crossing our southern border has surged dramatically, this reluctance is more than a bureaucratic snag; it’s a clear and present danger to our national security.
During a House Appropriations Committee hearing, acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner laid out the list of countries that pose the greatest challenges in repatriating their nationals. Alongside Bhutan and Cambodia, China stands out—not just for its size, but for its strategic reluctance to cooperate with U.S. deportation efforts. Despite what Lechleitner describes as “cautiously optimistic progress,” the truth is that any progress with China is shadowed by its broader adversarial stance towards the United States.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently mentioned a solitary deportation flight to China—a drop in the ocean compared to the flow of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. from there. The surge is alarming: over 24,000 Chinese nationals were apprehended illegally crossing the border in just the first half of fiscal year 2024, already surpassing the total for the entire previous year. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a significant escalation.
The numbers are a clear indicator of how border security is being compromised. What’s more troubling is the potential for these migrants to have ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or the fentanyl trafficking networks that have wreaked havoc across America. It’s disturbing to consider that the Biden administration seems almost paralyzed, unable to effectively negotiate with China—a country with a notorious track record of leveraging every situation to its advantage, often at the expense of American interests.
Last month’s incident involving a Chinese illegal immigrant detained after trespassing onto a Marine Corps base in California only underscores the potential threats posed by this influx. This issue transcends immigration. Chinese illegal immigrants could be represented in terms of espionage or other malfeasances.
It’s high time America woke up to the reality that while our southern border remains porous, countries like China are exploiting our weaknesses which is a serious national security concern. The Biden administration needs to stop playing political games and start securing our borders with the urgency this crisis demands. If not, we’re not just looking at an immigration problem; we’re looking at a potential Trojan horse scenario, with dire consequences for our national security.
