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China has announced its plans to accept the return of illegal immigrants from China living in the United States.
Some shit you should know: China has historically been reluctant to accept illegal immigrants deported from the United States, with a significant gap in cooperation between 2018 and 2022, during which no repatriation flights were accepted due to strained relations and China’s strict COVID-19 border policies. In 2022, the Chinese government accepted only four planeloads of undocumented migrants from the US. According to US government data, there were an estimated 210,000 undocumented Chinese nationals living in the United States as of 2022, including those from Hong Kong and Macau. That number has likely grown, with a marked uptick in Chinese migrants apprehended at the US-Mexico border since the end of the pandemic, as tens of thousands have attempted to cross into the US without proper documentation.
What’s going on now: China has announced that it will accept the deportation of Chinese nationals living illegally in the United States, provided their identities are verified as originating from the Chinese mainland. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, addressing the matter at a press briefing, stated, “The Chinese government firmly opposes any form of illegal migration. We have also carried out pragmatic cooperation with the immigration law enforcement agencies of relevant countries, including the US, and achieved positive results.” She further clarified that China’s principle regarding repatriation is to “verify first and then repatriate,” noting that only confirmed Chinese citizens will be accepted back.
This all comes after the United States announced a deal with Colombia that would avert a potential trade war sparked by disputes over deportation flights. Colombia had initially resisted accepting deported migrants on US military aircraft, prompting President Donald Trump to threaten severe economic penalties, including tariffs of up to 50% on Colombian goods, visa revocations for government officials, and financial sanctions. However, late on Sunday, the White House confirmed that Colombia had agreed to accept deportees, including those transported on military flights, under the terms set by the US.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who had previously condemned the use of military aircraft for deportations, softened his stance, stating that his government would welcome deported citizens back in a “dignified” manner. Colombia’s Foreign Minister, Luis Gilberto Murillo, described the resolution as overcoming a diplomatic “impasse” and emphasized that the two nations would work together to ensure compliance with the new terms.
