Chinese nationals are crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into the U.S. in unprecedented numbers this year, with the first few months of FY 2023 already eclipsing the total for 2022.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports that just under 2,000 Chinese nationals crossed the border in FY 2022, but the first few months of FY 2023 have already seen 4,300 encounters, according to federal data.
The wave of Chinese migrants comes as the country bristles against Chinese President Xi Jinping's continued crackdown on freedoms. China saw a large wave of protests in recent months following Xi's widespread COVID-19 lockdowns.
"So the word is out, right?," Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, told Axios. "If you can get to our southern border, you have a pretty good shot at getting in, and it has changed the demographics."
Republicans have accused President Biden of refusing to enforce U.S. border policies, which they argue sends the message to other migrants that the U.S. border is open.
Biden has faced record-breaking numbers of border crossings since gaining office in 2021. His first month in office saw 100,000 migrant encounters, according to CBP data. Now, however, the CBP tracks some 230,000 migrant encounters each month.
A federal judge in Florida struck down the Biden administration’s use of parole to mass release migrants into the U.S. earlier this month, finding the practice unlawful and accusing the administration of turning the border into a "meaningless line in the sand."
