On January 6, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), conducted a significant removal flight to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This marks the fifth such operation in under seven months, focusing on Chinese nationals with final orders of removal from the United States. These flights result from ongoing cooperation between DHS and PRC authorities to repatriate individuals without legal grounds to remain in the U.S.
The DHS is committed to enforcing immigration laws by swiftly returning those without authorization to stay in the country. This approach also aims at combating human smuggling and discouraging irregular migration through coordinated efforts with international partners. The collaboration has reportedly led to a 62% decrease in encounters with PRC nationals at the U.S. Southwest Border, dropping from 2,160 in June 2024 to 820 by December 2024.
DHS emphasizes delivering "tough consequences for those who enter unlawfully or without authorization," while promoting safe and legal pathways for migration. Since implementing a Presidential Proclamation on Securing the Border on June 4, there has been a reported decrease of over 70% in unlawful border crossings.
"The Chinese nationals removed this week to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) add to the hundreds who have been removed for not having a legal basis to remain in the U.S. This is the fourth such removal flight that we have arranged with officials from the PRC," stated Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. He noted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing illegal border crossings below levels seen in 2019.
Since June, DHS has conducted more than 740 international repatriation flights involving over 160 countries including China, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Egypt, Mauritania, Senegal, Uzbekistan, and India. In FY2024 alone, DHS removed or returned over 742,000 individuals—a figure surpassing any year since FY2010—as efforts continue to expand these operations.
