In a rare immigration move, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency deported 122 Chinese nationals from Dallas, Texas, back to China.
This flight, labeled as a “high-risk charter,” took off last week and marks the first of its kind since 2018.
ICE officials said the people on board were removed for reasons that included criminal convictions, immigration violations, or being considered national security or public safety threats.
The agency didn’t reveal personal details about those deported, but called the flight “significant” due to the security concerns involved.
This charter flight was the result of several months of coordination between the U.S. and Chinese governments. ICE mentioned that such deportations can only happen when the receiving country cooperates and agrees to take back its citizens. For years, deportations to China were limited because of strained diplomatic ties and logistical challenges.
The last time the U.S. conducted a high-risk deportation flight to China was in 2018. Since then, direct removals of Chinese nationals have been very rare, making this recent flight a noteworthy development.
Officials stated that ICE worked closely with the U.S. Department of State and the Chinese government to finalize arrangements. They also added that every person on board had completed their legal process and no longer had the right to stay in the U.S.
This deportation comes at a time when U.S. immigration enforcement is under heavy public and political scrutiny. While some believe ICE is taking necessary steps to ensure national security, others have raised concerns about how immigration policies are being implemented.
The agency made it clear that such high-risk flights are not routine and only take place when necessary. They also said they will continue to follow U.S. laws and international agreements while handling deportations.
In total, the flight carried 116 men and six women. According to ICE, all individuals had final orders of removal, meaning a U.S. court had already ruled they must leave the country.
The successful operation signals a potential shift in cooperation between the U.S. and China on immigration matters. However, it’s still unclear how often such flights will occur in the future.