Coast Guard Captures Six Chinese Migrants Trying To Enter US By Water

Authorities have encountered six Chinese migrants trying to get to the U.S. illegally by water, the Coast Guard announced on Twitter Friday.

The Coast Guard transferred the migrants to Bahamian authorities, according to the military branch’s tweet. Border Patrol agents have recorded a surge in encounters of Chinese migrants at the southern border, northern border and coastal borders in Florida and Puerto Rico, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

“U.S. maritime borders are NOT open to unlawful migration,” the Coast Guard said, urging migrants against taking to the ocean to enter the country illegally.

In Florida, agents recorded 27 encounters of Chinese migrants so far in fiscal year 2023, compared to 5 in fiscal year 2022. Agents patrolling Puerto Rico have seen 8 Chinese migrants since October 2022, after recording none since fiscal year 2020.

“Right now in China there’s extreme pessimism, especially among people in their 20s about the future of their country, so it’s understandable that they’re leaving and they’re trying to get into the United States,” China expert Gordon Chang previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation of the surge in Chinese migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“And, you know, these are people who are relatively middle class, so it shows you the problems in Chinese society are severe,” Change continued. “And that to me, suggests that this is going to get worse because these numbers are staggering.”