Chinese migrants deported on first large flight from U.S. since 2018

A group of migrants were deported to China over the weekend on the first large charter flight there since 2018, the Department of Homeland Security said.

A group of migrants were deported to China over the weekend on the first large charter flight there since 2018, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Tuesday. 

The department said that it was working with authorities in Beijing on further removal flights and while it declined to say how many migrants were on the weekend flight, the Associated Press reported that 116 were on board the plane.

Tuesday's announcement comes against against a backdrop of increasingly stern White House messaging on immigration ahead of November’s presidential election. President Joe Biden temporarily suspended some forms of entry across the United States’ southern border last month.

The DHS said it had operated 120 international repatriation flights since the suspension.

“We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States. People should not believe the lies of smugglers,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was quoted in the statement as saying.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/chinese-migrants-deported-first-large-flight-us-2018-rcna160114

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