Reports of Chinese migrants illegally crossing the border into California have spiked in recent months despite ongoing attempts to crack down on unlawful entries into the United States, Newsweek reports.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin posted multiple videos on social media on Monday purportedly showing groups of Chinese migrants illegally entering the United States via the Mexico-California border.
The clips emerged a day after CBS’ “60 Minutes” released a segment detailing a new TikTok trend in which users provide detailed instructions to Chinese migrants on how to enter the United States, including the mention of a specific area of border fence near San Diego with a gap large enough for people to get through.
Customs and Border Protection data shows that more than 31,000 Chinese citizens were apprehended while attempting to illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico last year, much higher than the average of 1,500 per year seen about a decade ago.
Foreign Policy magazine reported in May that this immigration is being driven by China’s slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its human rights abuses against citizens.
In addition, a 2015 law in Ecuador allows Chinese citizens to travel to the country without needing to apply for a visa first, making it a prime destination for prospective migrants looking to make the trip up to the U.S.