More than 37,000 Chinese immigrants were apprehended at the southern US border in 2023, according to US Customs and Border Protection data.
This represents a tenfold increase compared to the previous year.
The jump is also notable because the number of Chinese immigrants to the United States has been stable in previous years. The fact that so many people are trying to escape is clearly demonstrated by the fact that 99% of them decided to cross the border in California and Mexico.
In addition to China's economic difficulties, tight government regulations covering more and more sectors are forcing ordinary people to make these dangerous journeys. Many immigrants cited declining incomes, disappearing job opportunities, and rapid increases in educational costs as reasons to seek a new life in the United States.
According to experts, this trend is expected to continue and economic factors will be the primary driver for the foreseeable future.
Cover photo: A Texas National Guard member stands atop a shipping container before a news conference in Shelby Park along the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S., Thursday, February 8, 2024. Photo credit: Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images
