In a stunning example of history repeating itself, an invasion of Chinese illegal immigrants is underway in the American Southwest and the authorities are doing everything they can to stop it. In the Nogales Sector of Arizona, 78 Chinese nationals were apprehended while trying to enter the US illegally through Mexico in October of this year alone. Between October 2008 and the end of August 2009, the Tucson Sector arrested 261 Chinese nationals according to Patrol Agent Colleen Agle. In the previous year only 30 had been captured. That is an 1100% increase in one year for Arizona. Texas has also seen a major increase in illegal Chinese traffic.
This modern day phenomenon, while relatively recent is not new at all. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries there was a huge wave of Chinese immigrants arriving illegally across the Mexican border. They were coming to work on the railroads and many returned to Mexico during the CA persecutions to form large communities. Mexicali, just across the border from Calexico, California has the largest population of Chinese in the country.
Tombstone, AZ was known at the time as the epicenter of Chinese illegal immigration in the US. Ranchers there had "Chinese Cellars" built under their homes where they would hide the illegals during the day and transport them at night. Some things never change.
What is fueling this increase today has much to do with political persecution in China and the relaxation of Visa laws in places like Ecuador,where they are seeing upwards of 75 Chinese emigrating to that country each day. It is not for the cuisine. Chinese organized crime is said to charge $70,000 per person to smuggle these Chinese refugees into the US and estimates are it has become a BILLION dollar business for them.
In 2006 alone, DHS reported that 39,000 Chinese nationals were awaiting deportation in the US back to China. Of those only 300 remained in custody and the rest were released on their own recognizance awaiting legal proceedings.
While crossing the deserts of AZ is unappealing, it is still the preferred method though many are also being smuggled in by sea. Ports like Seattle and San Francisco routinely fins dozens of immigrants hiding in shipping containers.The journey can be treacherous either way but the payoff for those who succeed appears to be worth it. There is no shortage of potential Chinese illegal immigrants at this moment and with Ecuador offering unfettered Visa access to 130 countries around the world, it is only a matter of time before others take advantage of the slow boat to Arizona.
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Comments
Fascinating... This really is news. An "illegal alien invasion"...and it's not about Mexicans? Worth noting, I believe, is that although 39,000 Chinese deportations were expected in 2006, no one ever heard a peep from any of the "other" minority civil rights groups clamoring for "justice", like "La Raza". I guess their version of "rights" applies only when people who meet their agenda are the "victims" of "racism".
They're doing all they can to catch them? Yeah, right!
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