In April, Border Patrol encountered 3,182 migrants from China at the U.S.-Mexico border, as per data from CBP. Chinese migrants frequently pay substantial fees to smugglers in order to reach the United States. Border Patrol agents, in recent interviews with the Daily Caller News Foundation, have reported discovering significant amounts of U.S. currency in possession of these migrants.
Between October 2022 and April, Border Patrol has encountered a total of 9,711 Chinese migrants at the southern border, which represents a significant increase of approximately 393 percent compared to the entire fiscal year of 2022.
According to a report from The New York Times in July, migrants from Latin America pay an average of around $4,000 each to smugglers in order to facilitate their journey.
That said, Gordon Chang, author of "The Coming Collapse of China," a Gatestone Institute distinguished senior fellow, and a member of its advisory board, believes many young Chinese migrants are fleeing China due to a lack of hope for their future in the country, he told the DCNF.
“Right now in China there’s extreme pessimism, especially among people in their 20s about the future of their country, so it’s understandable that they’re leaving and they’re trying to get into the United States. And, you know, these are people who are relatively middle class, so it shows you the problems in Chinese society are severe. And that, to me, suggests that this is going to get worse because these numbers are staggering," he said, adding that it is also possible that those coming to the U.S. have bad intentions.
“When I first saw that the surge in Chinese migrants, that’s the thought that came to my mind that these are either Ministry of State Security agents or Chinese military, who are coming to this country to commit acts of sabotage against the US,” Chang said.
In March, CBP officials sent a memo to agents warning of a continued increase in Chinese nationals attempting to cross into the U.S. through Mexico.
“Chinese national apprehensions will continue to rise across the SWB [Southwest border], primarily in Yuma and the Rio Grande Sector, as more Chinese nationals successfully reach the United States to request asylum and information about routes becomes more accessible,” the document stated.
The Biden administration has seen a significant rise in illegal immigration since taking office in January 2021 after Biden himself reversed nearly all of President Donald Trump's border security policies, which led to a 40-year low in illegal crossings.
The surge in illegal immigration has put a strain on the resources of the U.S. government and has led to overcrowding in detention centers and other facilities. The administration has struggled to find a balance between enforcing immigration laws and showing compassion for those seeking asylum.
The situation has also sparked political controversy, with Republicans accusing the administration of being weak on immigration and Democrats calling for more humane treatment of migrants. The administration has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with some saying that it has sent mixed messages to potential migrants about whether they will be allowed to stay in the United States.
To be fair, another factor contributing to the increase in illegal immigration is the economic and political instability in Central America, particularly in countries like Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. These countries have long been plagued by poverty, violence, and corruption, and many of their citizens see the United States as a place where they can find safety and opportunity, but that was also under Trump.
The difference was Trump's policies did not project the message, "Come on in!"
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