Undocumented Chinese men say they're baffled by Trump's reported plans to deport them first
Having fled China because of political persecution or for better economic opportunities, many undocumented Chinese men reject the notion of being a threat to the U.S.
LOS ANGELES — Kevin Yang, a 46-year-old undocumented immigrant from China, said he once felt a sense of indebtedness toward the United States. But now, with President-elect Donald Trump’s second term on the horizon, he feels worried and on edge.
“The gratitude I once felt toward the U.S for accepting me into the country … has now shifted to anxiety and fear, Yang said. “And I know others in my situation feel the same.”
With the incoming Trump administration looking to prioritize deporting Chinese nationals, citing national security concerns, many undocumented Chinese men say they couldn’t feel further afield from the reasoning behind the potential policy — that Trump thinks they’re assembling an army within the United States.
Several Chinese undocumented migrants who made the trek across the southern border to the United States spoke about Trump’s mass deportation plans. Sources close to the Trump campaign had exclusively told NBC News that undocumented Chinese immigrants who are deemed to be of military age will be among the first groups targeted. But, having fled their homeland because of political persecution, or uprooted their lives for better economic opportunities, many undocumented Chinese men reject the notion of being a threat to the United States as absurd.
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