Chinese migrants eclipse Mexican nationals in key southern border sector

The number of Chinese migrants being encountered in a key sector of the southern border is exceeding that of Mexican nationals, a trend ongoing for years that has renewed national security concerns.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data obtained by Fox News shows that Chinese nationals are the second-largest nationality encountered at the border in San Diego Sector since the fiscal year began in October.

There have been 21,000 Chinese nationals encountered, second only to Colombia (28,000). Third is Mexican nationals with 18,700, followed by Brazil (8,700) and Ecuador (7,700). Other countries of origin include Turkey, Guinea, India, Guatemala and Peru.

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Fox reported this week that between Saturday and Monday there were 452 Chinese nationals apprehended by Border Patrol in the San Diego Sector alone — more than the entirety of FY 2021 across the whole border.

The number of Chinese nationals has been increasing since fiscal 2021. In fiscal 2022, numbers increased to more than 2,000 border-wide. In fiscal 2023, that number then surged to more than 24,314.

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It’s an increase that has raised national security concerns from both Republican lawmakers and border officials — noting that China is a geopolitical foe and raises the specter of a potential avenue for espionage.

Brandon Judd, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents all rank-and-file Border Patrol agents nationwide, told Fox News last week that the majority of the Chinese border-crossers are single adult males of military age.

"That is a very scary prospect. We know that China does not like us, we know that we are in the crosshairs of China," Judd said.

Immigration activists have also noted that China is a country with a repressive government and from which citizens would naturally try to flee and seek asylum. 

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But China is also one of a number of special-interest countries, from which nationals are supposed to see extra vetting by authorities. San Diego has seen many nationals from those countries.

Fox reported this week on CBP data that shows thousands of nationals from Mauritania, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have arrived at the border in the San Diego Sector.

Overall, more than 140,000 illegal immigrants have been encountered in the sector since October.

Border-wide, there have been more than 961,000 migrant encounters this fiscal year after a record-setting 2.4 million in fiscal 2023. December saw a record 301,000 encounters, followed by a sharp drop to 176,000 in January.