A group of migrants were deported from the United States to China over the weekend on the first large charter flight to that country since 2018.
This was revealed in a statement from the Department of Homeland Security released on Tuesday.
While the DHS did not specify the number of migrants on the flight, the Associated Press reported that 116 individuals were on board. The department is working with Beijing on future removal flights.
This development comes amid increasingly strict immigration messaging from the White House as the presidential election approaches in November.
In June, President Joe Biden temporarily suspended some forms of entry across the southern border of the United States. Since this suspension, the DHS has conducted 120 international repatriation flights.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the continued enforcement of immigration laws, stating, “We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States. People should not believe the lies of smugglers.”
The DHS noted a more than 40% drop in arrests for illegal border crossings during the three weeks since asylum processing was suspended.
Beijing’s acceptance of the return of its citizens represents a significant policy shift, following months of high-level discussions aimed at increasing deportations of Chinese nationals.
Mayorkas had previously told newsmen in April, “We are in a wait and see posture but we are working with our counterparts. It’s a process.”
The recent flight and the potential for further deportations reflect changes in migration patterns at the southern border.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, most illegal migrants came from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
However, by 2023, the majority were from other regions. Between 2019 and 2023, apprehensions of migrants from over 50 nationalities increased dramatically.
Notably, the number of migrants from China and India grew more than elevenfold and fivefold, respectively.
Transcontinental smuggling networks, which have existed for decades, have expanded significantly in recent years, aided by the internet and the proliferation of cheap smartphones.
Chinese smugglers, known as snakeheads, widely advertise their services on platforms like TikTok, WhatsApp, and WeChat.
NBC News accessed the WeChat profile of one snakehead who claimed to have moved over 100 people to the U.S. in the past year, frequently posting videos of migrants on the trail to attract new customers.
In its statement, Homeland Security also welcomed Ecuador’s recent decision to require Chinese passport-holders to obtain visas, recognizing the country as a popular route for smugglers.
