Kangle Jiang, a 22-year-old citizen of the People's Republic of China, has been sentenced to 30 days in prison by the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands. Jiang was found guilty of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and conspiracy to defraud the United States. The court also imposed one year of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment fee.
The case stems from an incident on December 9, 2024, when Jiang conspired with another individual in Saipan to transport himself and seven other Chinese nationals to Guam by boat. The group aimed to evade law enforcement detection and remain unlawfully in the United States. Jiang had arrived in the CNMI on October 31, 2024, and paid $6,000 for this illegal journey. As they neared Guam's shore, passengers were forced into the water despite some being unable to swim. Most were later found near sensitive military areas.
"Combatting unlawful immigration is the top priority of the Department of Justice," stated United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson. "The defendant took advantage of unique federal immigration regulations that permit certain foreign nationals to visit the CNMI as tourists. Any local economic benefits from these provisions are lost when those persons later attempt to unlawfully enter another part of the United States." Anderson emphasized that such actions put individuals at great risk due to sea travel dangers.
HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas commented on Jiang's arrest: "The arrest of Mr. Jiang exemplifies HSI’s commitment to enforcing federal immigration laws in an effort to prevent human smuggling." She noted that targeting violators like Jiang helps protect communities from smuggling-related dangers.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted this investigation, with Eric S. O'Malley serving as Assistant United States Attorney for prosecution.
