The Wire

Increase in Chinese Migrants at US-Mexico Border Raises Concerns

July 8, 2023

In recent months, there has been a significant surge in the number of Chinese migrants apprehended at the US-Mexico border. Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 23, over 13,000 Chinese migrants have been intercepted by Border Patrol agents, marking a staggering 1,000 percent increase compared to the previous year. This influx of individuals from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has caught the attention of authorities, who are struggling to gather intelligence due to language barriers. While the exact reasons for this surge remain unclear, experts speculate that it could be linked to various factors, including dissatisfaction with China’s government and the aftermath of stringent COVID-19 measures.

One of the main obstacles faced by Border Patrol agents and intelligence officers is the language barrier. With limited access to effective translation services, obtaining crucial information from Chinese migrants has proven difficult. As a result, intelligence debriefings have yielded limited insights into their motivations for entering the United States. This linguistic challenge further adds to the burden already faced by agents dealing with the high number of daily apprehensions.

While concrete answers remain elusive, several potential factors have been suggested to explain the increase in Chinese migrants. Dissatisfaction with the repressive regime in China, including issues related to human rights abuses, strict controls on the internet and social media usage, and negative economic impacts of COVID-19 policies, could be contributing to the exodus. It is also important to note that China recently opened its ports and loosened travel restrictions, following a three-year closure. However, the timing of this decision does not align perfectly with the surge in arrivals, suggesting that other factors might be at play.

Experts, such as Dr. Kenneth Allard, a retired Army Colonel and former Dean of Students at the National War College, argue that China is capitalizing on perceived weaknesses in the Biden administration’s approach to international affairs. Allard suggests that totalitarian governments like China are adept at exploiting opportunities, and they recognize President Biden’s perceived lack of control and resolve. This viewpoint raises concerns about the potential exploitation of the crisis at the US-Mexico border by China.

The journey undertaken by Chinese migrants to reach the United States is arduous and expensive. Typically, they travel from Hong Kong to Turkey, then Ecuador, taking advantage of the absence of visa requirements for Chinese nationals in Ecuador. From there, they traverse the challenging Panama Darien Gap, navigate through Central America, and finally arrive at the US-Mexico border. Reports indicate that smuggling fees can reach exorbitant amounts of up to $55,000 per person.