Chinese migrants wait to be processed after crossing the US border with Mexico. Photo: APDeep Dive delves into hot issues in Hong Kong and mainland China. Our easy-to-read articles provide context to grasp what’s happening, while our questions help you craft informed responses. Check sample answers at the end of the page.
News: Donald Trump’s deportation plans causes fear among undocumented Chinese migrants
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Trump made immigration policy a key message in his 2024 presidential election campaign
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Worker at a non-profit group for Chinese immigrants warned against overreacting; plan will face many challenges, especially from China
US president-elect Donald Trump has long said he has plans to deport undocumented migrants from the country. It has caused fear among Chinese migrants.
“Once Trump gets in office, he’ll kick all of us out,” a person wrote in a group chat.
Some Chinese migrants have written a letter saying they will obey US laws and give back to the country. It began to spread soon after Trump won the election.
Waves of Chinese have been migrating to America in search of new opportunities in recent years. Many say they are leaving China to find more freedom and financial stability in an era when China’s economy has slowed and youth unemployment rates are up.
Trump said he planned to use the US military to deport undocumented migrants.
Stephen Miller is his immigration policy adviser. He has said that “vast holding facilities” will serve as “staging centres” for the operation. In November, the state of Texas offered the federal government more than 1,000 acres near the southern US border to host detention centres.
Trump made immigration policy a key message of his 2024 election campaign. He often described migrant groups in a polarising way. He claimed that Chinese people who entered the US through the southern border were building a secret army.
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Earlier in November, NBC News reported that Chinese migrants of military age could be among the first targeted by Trump. He vowed to launch his plan on “day one”.
However, Trump’s deportation plans are likely to face big challenges. Its success will also depend on cooperation with China. China does not seem eager to repatriate its nationals.
“My message to the [migrant] community is to get prepared but not overreact,” said Jose Ng of Chinese for Affirmative Action. It is a non-profit group based in California that supports Chinese immigrants.
Ng said that many “undocumented” Chinese were unlikely to be removed right away. They usually have pending cases in US courts or may qualify for certain types of legal help.
“Undocumented” refers to those who plan to stay in the US but do not have permanent legal status. The word may be used for someone who stayed longer than their visa allowed or entered the country without government permission. Many have lived in the US for decades, and most are not criminals.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, about 241,000 undocumented Chinese people were living in the US in 2021. That was before America saw a surge of more than 60,000 Chinese migrants crossing its southern border without proper documentation between January 2023 and November 2024.
Staff writers
Question prompts
1. Based on the information in the news, which of the following is true?
(1) There were around 241,000 undocumented Chinese migrants living in the US this past year.
(2) Around 60,000 undocumented Chinese migrants crossed the US northern border from January 2023 to November 2024.
(3) President-elect Trump focused on immigration policy during his 2024 presidential campaign.
(4) Trump has said that Chinese people are trying to create a secret army in the US.
A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (3) only
C. (2), (4) only
D. (3), (4) only
2. Using News, list TWO measures the Trump administration might start that would affect undocumented immigrants.
3. How have Chinese migrants in the US reacted to Trump’s win? Explain using the news.
Cartoon
1. Who is the person shown in this cartoon? What are they doing to the china?
2. What might the meaning of the cartoon be, and how is it related to the information in News?
Glossary
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deport: the process in which a government removes a foreign national from its country. This can happen when someone violates immigration laws, overstays a visa, or enters the country without the proper documents.
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polarising: to cause people or opinions to be divided into two opposing groups
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repatriate: to send a person back to the country they came from
Sample answers
News
1. D
2. To go through with his plan to deport undocumented immigrants, Trump has said he would declare a national emergency and use the US military. Trump’s immigration policy adviser has also said they would create “vast holding facilities” – detention centres – to serve as “staging centres” for the operation. (accept all reasonable answers)
3. Many Chinese migrants are worried they could be forced to leave the US or that they are in danger, with one saying that Trump will kick them all out. However, Jose Ng of the non-profit group Chinese for Affirmative Action urged people not to overreact but to still be prepared. He noted that many people could not be immediately removed because they had pending legal cases or were eligible for legal assistance.
Cartoon
1. The artist shows Donald Trump in a rage in a china shop - a reference to the English idiom. If someone is like a bull in a china shop, they are very careless in how they move or behave. He is trying to smash the plates, which represent the country of China, but they will not break because they are “100 per cent Trump proof”.
2. The artist is using this analogy to show Trump’s feelings towards China. His attempt to break the plates shows how he is trying to hurt China or Chinese citizens with his strict anti-China policies. However, the plates will not break, showing the strength and resilience of the country.