- Chinese immigrants hoping to reach the United States turn to an unexpected guide — the Chinese version of TikTok.
- The migrants told 60 Minutes they planned their trip using Douyin.
- The number of Chinese immigrants crossing the US border has risen significantly in recent years.
Some Chinese migrants trying to cross the southern US border are getting a little help from Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, according to a report by CBS' 60 Minutes“.
Over the course of four days, CBS journalists observed nearly 600 migrants, some Chinese, crossing the border through a gap at the end of the border fence near San Diego.
The Chinese immigrants who spoke to 60 Minutes said they learned about the gap through the video app Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
60 Minutes said it reviewed several Doyen websites, which gave detailed instructions on how migrants can hire smugglers to reach the border.
And the trip is no walk in the park either.
Chinese immigrants hoping to start a new life in the United States must journey through multiple countries before arriving in the United States. Some had to cross through Türkiye, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and then Mexico CNN.
There has been a rise in the number of Chinese immigrants entering the United States through its borders.
according to Data From U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the number of encounters the agency conducted with Chinese nationals at the southwest land border increased more than 50-fold, from 450 people in 2021 to 24,314 in 2023.
Chinese social media platforms have been a boon to immigrants hoping to enter the United States.
in April, Reuters I interviewed more than two dozen Chinese immigrants entering the United States through southeast Texas. All the migrants Reuters spoke to said social media helped them plan their journey.
It's not just China. Creators from Venezuela and India have also produced similar videos.
Venezuelan Manuel Monterrosa, 35, said: “Migration is popular. My people want a dream.” New York times In a story published in December.
Representatives for US Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside normal business hours.
