Matthew Tragesser, senior communications manager at the Heritage Foundation, stated that a minimum of 22,000 Chinese nationals have attempted to unlawfully enter the U.S. since October. He linked this phenomenon to the border crisis and China's potential threat. These comments were made in an op-ed published on April 9.
"Many Americans think of the surge in southern border crossings and the threat from China as two completely different issues,” said Tragesser. "They shouldn't. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently revealed that at least 22,000 Chinese nationals have attempted to cross our southern border unlawfully since Oct. 1. Illegal immigration by the Chinese via the U.S.-Mexico border is soaring because of the Biden Administration's lax policies."
According to his opinion piece in the Washington Times, Tragesser referred to the total number of attempts since October 2023 as "unprecedented." Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that patrol authorities at the southern border encounter an average of 2,500 Chinese nationals per fiscal year. "The approximately 22,000 witnessed in just over five months is still more than in all four fiscal years under the Trump administration combined," said Tragesser.
The New York Post reported that these migrants are apprehended by CBP officials and detained for one to two days before being released into the U.S. to seek asylum. Besides these illegal encounters at the border, there have also been an additional 17,700 Chinese immigrants who have entered the country via the CBP One app.
In addition to identifying China as a major espionage threat to the U.S., Tragesser claimed that China has been collaborating with Mexican drug cartels to smuggle and sell fentanyl in the U.S., according to his article. The primary entry point for fentanyl into the U.S. is through its southern border, which currently accounts for most deaths among Americans aged between 18 and 45 years old. "China is the principal fentanyl manufacturer on the planet," he stated. "Its chemical and pharmaceutical companies provide precursor chemicals necessary for fentanyl creation. These chemicals are sold and shipped to Mexican cartels, which then create large batches of the drug in Mexico."
According to his op-ed piece, Tragesser argued that current border policies have allowed illegal immigrants from any country to enter the U.S. without facing any consequences. He called for the reinstatement of previous border initiatives, such as the "Remain in Mexico" policy and the construction of the border wall. "The Biden Administration must take the threat of illegal Chinese crossings at the southern border more seriously," he said. "Continued inaction from the Biden administration will only further jeopardize U.S. national security."
Tragesser is a Senior Communications Manager at The Heritage Foundation, according to his opinion piece. Prior to this role, he served as the communications director for U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ).
