A border security expert has raised concerns that the significant rise in Chinese illegal immigrants crossing the southern U.S. border during the Biden administration represents a national security threat. The surge, which has seen monthly numbers skyrocket from around 1,000 to over 8,000, is linked to criminal activities such as a multimillion-dollar marijuana trafficking ring, with some individuals facing deportation due to severe crimes like murder and human trafficking. The U.S. government has responded with increased enforcement actions, including the deportation of hundreds of Chinese nationals to China via a special high-risk charter flight and the arrest of seven Chinese nationals.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported 122 illegal immigrants to China on June 3, many of whom were convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape, and human smuggling. The individuals were transported to China on a “special high-risk charter flight,” as per official statements. Additionally, the Department of Justice has charged seven Chinese nationals for their involvement in a multimillion-dollar marijuana trafficking operation, which operated through the U.S.-Mexico border by smuggling illegal immigrants into the country to work in marijuana grow houses.
According to the House Committee on Homeland Security, in fiscal year 2024, over 24,376 Chinese nationals were encountered, with 24,214 apprehended. The border encounters increased by more than 8,000% in March 2024 compared to March 2021, a trend that has sparked heightened scrutiny and concern over immigration security. Lora Ries, a former Department of Homeland Security official, stated that the rapid rise in Chinese nationals crossing the border during Biden’s tenure is a clear national security risk. She emphasized that the rise in numbers is linked to potential Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tactics, including the use of the open border to conduct illegal activities and potentially subvert U.S. interests.
Ries pointed out that the CCP has historically engaged in various forms of adversarial behavior toward the U.S., including the smuggling of fentanyl precursor ingredients, the spread of the pandemic from Wuhan, the use of spy balloons, and the acquisition of farmland near U.S. military bases. She believes that during the Biden administration, the CCP took advantage of the open border policy to introduce Chinese nationals with malicious intent, which could have broader implications for national security and public trust in the U.S. immigration system. This case, she said, brings to light the extent of a sprawling criminal enterprise that has exploited the immigration system for profit, highlighting the need for robust border security measures.