Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have released busloads of Chinese nationals into the U.S. interior, as the U.S.-Mexico border sees a significant surge in encounters with migrants from China, according to a Fox News report.
The news network captured footage this week showing the release of two busloads of migrants to a non-governmental organization in Brownsville, Texas.
CBP sources said that due to the massive increase in migrants crossing the border, the agency had no more space to house them, and they were being released with notices to appear (NTA).
Migrants released with NTA are given a court hearing for their immigration cases, which can take years to resolve.
According to officials, the Rio Grande Valley Sector, one of the busiest sectors along the border, has witnessed more than a 900% increase in Chinese nationals compared to the same time last year.
In February 2022, there were 55 encounters of Chinese nationals, while in February 2023, there were 1,368, the report notes.
In fiscal year 2021, there were 450 encounters of Chinese nationals, which increased to 1,176 in fiscal year 2022.
So far this fiscal year, there have been 4,366 since October, giving a glimpse into the global nature of the U.S. border crisis.
Migrant encounters from 147 different countries have been recorded this fiscal year, with more than 1.7 million encounters in fiscal year 2021 and over 2.3 million in fiscal year 2022. Although fiscal year 2023 has been on track to surpass those numbers, there has been a decrease in numbers through January and February.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., expressed his concern on Twitter, saying, “Now the Biden Admin is releasing Chinese illegals who have come across the southern border. They’re not even trying to enforce the law.”
The surge in encounters of Chinese nationals at the border is part of the ongoing border crisis that has been a significant issue for the Biden administration since taking office. The administration has been criticized for its handling of the crisis and has faced calls to enforce stricter border policies.
