Despite 24,000 encounters at the border, only 288 Chinese citizens were deported from the US in FY 23.

Despite encountering more than 24,000 Chinese migrants during the 2023 fiscal year, only 288 were deported, according to a December report. Concerns have grown over the sudden influx of Chinese migrants at a key border sector.

During the 2024 fiscal year, over 21,000 Chinese citizens have been arrested in the San Diego Sector of the Border Patrol.

Over 100,000 Chinese citizens in the US have final removal orders but have not been deported, according to a New York Times report from last year.

Despite China's general uncooperativeness, sometimes refusing to accept its citizens back, deporting Chinese citizens to their home country is challenging due to the low number of removals.

Since the start of the fiscal year in October, Chinese nationals are the second most common nationality encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the San Diego Sector, according to data obtained by Planet Chronicle.

Numerous individuals have entered the U.S. through locations such as Jacumba, a small town situated approximately 60 miles east of San Diego.

The number of Chinese nationals crossing through the San Diego Sector is second only to Colombia (28,000). Mexican nationals come in third with 18,700, followed by Brazil (8,700) and Ecuador (7,700). Other countries of origin include Turkey, Guinea, India, Guatemala, and Peru.

Since fiscal 2021, the number of Chinese migrants at the southern border has been steadily increasing. In fiscal 2022, the total surpassed 2,000 border-wide. This number then skyrocketed to over 24,314 in fiscal 2023.

The influx has raised concerns from lawmakers and border authorities due to China's espionage activities and its status as an adversary of the U.S.

Last week, Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told Planet Chronicle that the possibility of China not liking us and us being in their crosshairs is a very scary prospect.

Despite the Taliban ruling Afghanistan, ICE reported 44 deportations to the country in its fiscal year 2023. Additionally, six individuals were deported to Syria, two to North Korea, and 18 to Iran.

Since October, over 140,000 undocumented individuals have been detected in the San Diego region.