While there have been increased immigration waves from China to America, it is the recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump hinting at most of these being "military-aged" men who could probably be forming "army" in the U.S. that have caused furor. However, investigations and interviews unveil a gruesomely different reality for such migrants, mostly in search of better economic opportunities and freedom from repression.
Most of the Chinese immigrants coming are young men, mainly because they are strong enough to undergo a grueling journey, and they come from either economic needs or political bondage in China. There is no evidence to suggest that these groups have military training or come for such an idea. Many groups of immigrants say they are coming to the U.S. to look for greener pastures, with others running away from harsh situations worsened by government tough measures during the COVID-19 lockdowns in China.
The rise in Chinese migrants can, in fact, also be related to the fact that unemployment is so high in China, as well as the vulnerability of Chinese youth in cases of unemployment, in addition to the recent crackdowns on various industries in China that have left the young professionals with lesser job opportunities than earlier. Moreover, even when the asylum grant rate for Chinese nationals has been very high, the logistical challenge in the case of deportation has increased Chinese migration, with the U.S. experiencing turbulent diplomacy that does not allow the easy return of Chinese nationals.
A narrative such as that of Chinese migrants as a security threat has also been accused of being so fear-mongering since even most of the advocacy groups in relation to migration and immigration experts do not speak of any militaristic intentions but rather emphasize the pulls from economic and social dimensions. They have also caution that it may further inflame the xenophobia and discriminatory attitudes that already exist towards the Asian communities in the U.S. following a surge in hate incidents.
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