A Chinese migrant speaks to a border patrol officer before being processed after crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. (Brandon Bell)
He says they left China in January and have traveled from China to Thailand (with a transfer in Bahrain) then going through Morocco (with a transfer in Spain), Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and now into Mexico.
So far, they’ve spent nearly $17,000 to make their way to the U.S. and are using a mix of cash, bank cards and app-based payments. Unlike many migrants, who will pay smugglers to guide them, this migrant designed all the routes himself, including through dangerous rainforests.
"The Mexican Immigration Bureau has been very strict these days," he said. "Spending money may not solve the problem, but fortunately, I have two children, and they actually take much better care of children and women."
CHINESE MIGRANTS POURING ACROSS SOUTHERN BORDER SPARK NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS
Some migrants have been pictured expressing support for President Biden, while Republicans have accused the administration of encouraging the flow with its reversal of Trump-era policies, a claim the administration has rejected. But the migrant Fox spoke to expressed indifference about who is running the country.
Migrants have different motivations for going to the U.S., some for more political or religious freedom, some because the U.S. offers benefits like health care, while others travel to America because they have lost faith in the Chinese economic recovery.
Migrants in line in Jacumba, Calif. Border authorities are contending with an influx of Chinese migrants in a key border sector. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
"No matter whether it is Trump or Biden, we just wanted to come to the United States. I am not worried about my legal identity problem, because as long as we arrive in the United States, there will always be a way to solve the identity problem. We want to go to the United States mainly for our children and to give them a better future."
There are risks not only on the journey but even in China. One can be detained and fined nearly $1,500 for obtaining fraudulent travel documents.
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"My English is not very good, and I don't know anyone in the United States. Once I get to the United States, I know I have to start all over again. But I want to live a good life in the future, and I want my children to be educated well. I strive to take root in the United States as soon as possible."
Another migrant Fox spoke to was in his late 30s and had worked in the poultry business. Inspired by others who had moved to the U.S., he also flew to Ecuador via Thailand and then moved over to Mexico but was deported. He also believes Mexican authorities are targeting the Chinese.
He also didn’t express concern or interest in the U.S. political situation.
"I don’t care, I just want to make money, and the United States is the country to go," he said.
He also posted on Douyin, including about his experience of being removed from Mexico. In the comment sections of his videos, there were many comments suggesting he will be welcomed by the Chinese community in different locations.
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China is one of more than 150 countries represented among migrants arriving at the southern border. Some officials and Republican lawmakers have raised concerns that single adults entering from the geopolitical foe could pose a national security threat.
"There have been numerous documented instances of Chinese nationals, at the direction of the CCP, engaging in espionage, stealing military and economic secrets," a group of Republican senators warned last year.
Fox News staff contributed to this report.
Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.
He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.
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