The Biden administration drastically simplified the vetting process for Chinese illegal immigrants in April 2023, according to an internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The April 2023 email, which was sent by a CBP supervisor to a “master list” of about 500 Border Patrol agents, instructs CBP officials to radically reduce the number of interview questions for Chinese migrants apprehended after illegally crossing into the country from roughly 40 to just five. The “headquarters guidance” came as border agents were overwhelmed with near-record numbers of illegal crossings.
This scaling back of the interview process fast-tracked the releasing of Chinese illegal immigrants into the U.S. while making it more difficult for CBP agents to identify national security threats, J.J. Carrell, a retired CBP deputy patrol agent in charge, told the DCNF after reviewing the email.
“This policy change has accelerated the time it takes to process Chinese illegal immigrants — this doesn’t make America safer,” Carrell said. “The final result is that dangerous Chinese illegal immigrants will still be released into the U.S.”
“This is just the government covering their ass, so they can say they vetted,” said Carrell. “I believe the government recognizes the threat of Chinese soldiers and spies that are pouring into America, and they want to try and identify these individuals. However, the same government does not want to stop the flow of illegal aliens or Chinese nationals — just the ‘bad ones,’ which is impossible.”
There is a link to a screenshot of the email.
I still find it implausible that enough soldiers are coming in this way, but enough agents for sabotage in the event of war? Sure. It happened in World War II and apparently at the Soo Locks during World War I. Someone suggest another reason for this protocol change.
I don't believe China seriously plans to attack the US with such "fifth column". What China may well intend is to establish in the US (and many other countries) a network of "safe houses" and goon squads to intimidate and silence diaspora Chinese dissidents and non-Chinese sympathizers. Also to intimdate or sabotage businesses that that compete or interfere with Chinese interests.
ReplyDeleteThe first wave of such operatives have entered under various "legitimate" covers - academic, commercial, etc. - with semi-explicit government support. But given the porosity of the border today, I could see China seizing the opportunity to send in a cohort of of-the-books "foot soldiers".