On Monday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents detained 269 individuals from China, marking a concerning uptick in such incidents.
According to reports, this latest occurrence has brought the total encounters with Chinese nationals attempting to cross the border to more than 20,000 in the past five months. This figure markedly contrasts with the entire fiscal year of 2021, during which 450 Chinese individuals were apprehended.
A CBP source disclosed to Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin that these numbers are part of a broader pattern of increased border apprehensions. In particular, the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector reported detaining 8,500 immigrants from 73 different nationalities in a single week.
The current fiscal year, starting in October 2023, has seen more than 20,000 Chinese nationals apprehended at the border, suggesting a rapidly growing demographic among those crossing into the U.S. illegally. CBS News coverage indicates that Chinese migrants are increasingly utilizing social media platforms, such as the Chinese-owned TikTok, to arrange passage with smugglers. These migrants often travel to Ecuador, a country without visa requirements for Chinese citizens, before heading to Tijuana, Mexico, where they secure smuggler services to the U.S. southern border.
The increase in illegal crossings by Chinese individuals occurs amid a contentious debate between Republicans and the Biden administration over border security and immigration policy. Current statistics from the CBP reveal that since January 2021, the border has seen encounters with at least eight million illegal migrants, excluding individuals who evaded apprehension.
This increase has drawn remarks from former President Donald Trump, who, in an interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, suggested that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) might be influencing the surge. Trump expressed concerns over a potential national security threat, pondering the likelihood of an orchestrated influx of young men, which could signify more dire intentions.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has criticized a recently passed Senate foreign aid package worth $95 billion for lacking robust border security measures, suggesting it fails to effectively address pressing national security concerns.
