The US has deported 116 Chinese migrants in its first "large charter flight" in five years, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
 
In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, “We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States.” 

The flight occurred over the weekend amid a heightened political debate in the lead-up to the US presidential election regarding Chinese immigration.

The department claimed that it was collaborating with China to minimize and discourage unauthorized migration and combat human smuggling through enhanced law enforcement measures. It did not address inquiries regarding the duration of the migrants' stay in the US.
 
The department indicated ongoing collaboration with China on additional deportation flights in the future but did not specify a timeline for the next one.

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In 2023, there was an alleged significant increase in Chinese immigrants entering the US illegally from Mexico, with US border officials arresting over 37,000 Chinese nationals at the southern border, a tenfold rise from the previous year.

The issue of Chinese migration has become a focal point for Republicans and former President Donald Trump, who have expressed suspicions about the reasons behind Chinese migrants' arrival in the US. Asian advocacy organizations are worried that such rhetoric could fuel harassment of Asians.

Earlier this year, the US and China resumed cooperation on migration issues. China's government has expressed strong opposition to illegal immigration in all forms. In a statement in May, China's US embassy emphasized rigorous law enforcement efforts aimed at combating border-related crimes and cracking down on smuggling organizations and offenders.

In a separate incident earlier this year, a charter flight transported an unspecified number of deportees to Shenyang, a city in northeastern China, according to Thomas Cartwright of Witness at the Border, an advocacy group that monitors deportation flights.

Although Homeland Security officials did not disclose the exact number of passengers on the March 30 flight, Cartwright noted that the Gulfstream V aircraft typically accommodates up to 14 passengers and also made a stop in South Korea before returning to the US.

The announcement of the recent large charter flight comes amid broader efforts to disrupt major routes used by Chinese migrants seeking to reach the Western Hemisphere. Recently, the US announced an agreement with Panama's new president to cover the costs of repatriating migrants who enter the country illegally, aimed at closing the dangerous Darien Gap route used by individuals traveling north to the US.

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