- The number of Chinese nationals crossing the border illegally in FY 2024 has already surpassed the total number apprehended in the entire previous year
- Border police have arrested 24,296 Chinese at the border since October
- DHS Sec. Mayorkas told Congress that one flight of Chinese migrants has been returned to Beijing so far — with more to come
The number of Chinese nationals crossing the border in 2024 has so far soared from previous years, raising heightened concerns about why so many migrants from China are entering the country illegally.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has arrested nearly 25,000 People’s Republic of China (PRC) nationals since October, according to government data on border crossings at the southern and northern borders over the past four years.
The recent figures represent an astonishing 7,000 percent increase over the same period in 2021.
Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas highlights that he recently struck a deal with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for the US to send more deportation flights full of migrants back to Beijing.
The number of Chinese nationals illegally crossing the U.S. border in FY 2024 has already surpassed the total number of this demographic group apprehended in all of FY 2023.
There is a 7,000% increase in the number of Chinese migrants illegally crossing the US southern and northern borders from October through March, compared to the same period in FY 2021. Pictured: Chinese migrants crossing through on November 11, 2023 CBP held in Jacumba, California
Only 342 migrants from China were detained by CBP in fiscal year 2021, and 1,987 were apprehended in the next fiscal year cycle.
But the number of illegal migrants from China rose by 24,125 for the entire year in 2023.
There are still six months to go in fiscal year 2024, but the number of Chinese nationals apprehended by CBP in the first half of the year has already surpassed the previous year’s total.
CBP’s dataset only includes apprehensions of Chinese migrants who crossed the border illegally and does not include ports of entry where tens of thousands of PRC migrants have crossed in recent years.
The wave of border crossings from the People’s Republic of China comes as the communist country grows increasingly hostile to the US and seeks to assert dominance in the region as conflict with Taiwan looms.
The vast majority of Chinese nationals crossing the border illegally are single adults. This demographic is troubling to some who claim to be spies for the CCP.
Sec. Mayorkas said at a House hearing last week that the U.S. has so far returned one flight of Chinese nationals to the People’s Republic of China — and there are plans to send more.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday that one flight of Chinese migrants has been sent back to China so far and that there are plans to send more planeloads of deportations.
According to CBP data, more than 46,000 Chinese nationals have arrived since the start of fiscal year 2023 — 24,296 of whom crossed the U.S. border illegally. Pictured: Chinese migrants arrive in Jacumba, California, on Wednesday, October 4, 2023
The DHS head said the new plans come after he was able to speak with his CCP counterpart for the first time and pushed for more removal flights of their illegal border hoppers.
Mayorkas appeared before the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee last week on his agency’s 2025 budget proposal, which totals $108 billion — a 4 percent increase over the previous year.
Unsurprisingly, the number of Chinese migrants entering the US has increased in recent years, with border hopping in every category reaching record levels.
The House voted to impeach Mayorkas in February and the articles will be sent to the Senate on Tuesday.
Mayorkas will likely be acquitted in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress last week took the opportunity with Mayorkas on the hot seat to criticize the embattled DHS secretary over the lack of border security.
Mayorkas said during a hearing in the House of Representatives last week that after an initial meeting with CCP Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong (right), an agreement had been reached for Beijing to accept more deportation flights of Chinese nationals who illegally entered the US .
According to CBP data, this includes the more than 46,000 Chinese nationals who have crossed the southern border illegally since the start of fiscal year 2023.
“For the first time, I had an agreement with my counterpart from the People’s Republic of China to ensure that China would accept removal flights so that we can provide a consequence for persons from the People’s Republic of China who do not have legal authority. basis to remain in the United States,” Mayorkas said.
“And those discussions are still ongoing,” the Cabinet official added, revealing: “And we recently operated one flight, the first time in several years.”